Abstract: In general automatic face classification applications images are captured in natural environments. In these cases, the performance is affected by variations in facial images related to illumination, pose, occlusion or expressions. Most of the existing face classification systems use only the internal features information, composed by eyes, nose and mouth, since they are more difficult to imitate. Nevertheless, nowadays a lot of applications not related to security are developed, and in these cases the information located at head, chin or ears zones (external features) can be useful to improve the current accuracies. However, the lack of a natural alignment in these areas makes difficult to extract these features applying classic Bottom-Up methods. In this paper, we propose a complete scheme based on a Top-Down reconstruction algorithm to extract external features of face images. To test our system we have performed face verification experiments using public databases, given that identity verification is a general task that has many real life applications. We have considered images uniformly illuminated, images with occlusions and images with high local changes in the illumination, and the obtained results show that the information contributed by the external features can be useful for verification purposes, specially significant when faces are partially occluded.

Abstract: The broad access to digital cameras, personal computers and Internet, has lead to the generation of large volumes of data in digital form. If we want an effective usage of this huge amount of data, we need automatic tools to allow the retrieval of relevant information. Image data is a particular type of information that requires specific techniques of description and indexing. The computer vision field that studies these kind of techniques is called Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR). Instead of using text-based descriptions, a system of CBIR deals on properties that are inherent in the images themselves. Hence, the feature-based description provides a universal via of image expression in contrast with the more than 6000 languages spoken in the world.
Nowadays, the CBIR is a dynamic focus of research that has derived in important applications for many professional groups. The potential fields of application can be such diverse as: the medical domain, the crime prevention, the protection of the intel- lectual property, the journalism, the graphic design, the web search, the preservation of cultural heritage, etc.
The definition on the role of the user is a key point in the development of a CBIR application. The user is in charge to formulate the queries from which the images are retrieved. We have centered our attention on the image retrieval techniques that use queries based on pictorial information. We have identified a taxonomy composed by four main query paradigms: query-by-selection, query-by-iconic-composition, query- by-sketch and query-by-paint. Each one of these paradigms allows a different degree of user expressivity. From a simple image selection, to a complete painting of the query, the user takes control of the input in the CBIR system.
Along the chapters of this thesis we have analyzed the influence that each query paradigm imposes in the internal operations of a CBIR system. Moreover, we have proposed a set of contributions that we have exemplified in the context of a final application.