Vision
What is image segmentation?
Image segmentation labels the pixels or regions that belong to an object or a prompt, rather than only a bounding box.
Updated · Part of What is computer vision?
How it works
- A model reads the image and an optional prompt.
- It writes a mask.
- The mask is stored on the row so later steps can crop or measure.
What it is not
It is not detection boxes, and it is not a consumer background-removal filter that stores no mask.
image segmentation: this, and the thing it is confused with
| This | Not this | |
|---|---|---|
| Output | A mask | A box |
| Prompt | Optional text or points | Always a fixed class list |
| Use | Cut out, measure, or train | Draw a rectangle |
Where Pixeltable fits
Pixeltable stores the mask as a computed column on the image row. Promptable models such as SAM follow that pattern.
Questions
- How does image segmentation work?
- A model reads the image and an optional prompt. It writes a mask. The mask is stored on the row so later steps can crop or measure.
- What is image segmentation often confused with?
- It is not detection boxes, and it is not a consumer background-removal filter that stores no mask.