The theory of spatial models over lattices, or random fields as they are known, has developed significantly over recent years. This book provides a graduate-level introduction to the subject which assumes only a basic knowledge of probability and statistics, finite Markov chains, and the spectral theory of second-order processes. A particular strength of this book is its emphasis on examples - both to motivate the theory which is being developed, and to demonstrate the applications which range from statistical mechanics to image analysis and from statistics to stochastic algorithms.

Random variation is a fact of life that provides substance to a wide range of problems in the sciences, engineering, and economics. There is a growing need in diverse disciplines to model complex patterns of variation and interdependence using random fields, as both deterministic treatment and conventional statistics are often insufficient. An ideal random field model will capture key features of complex random phenomena in terms of a minimum number of physically meaningful and experimentally accessible parameters. This volume, a revised and expanded edition of an acclaimed book first published by the M I T Press, offers a synthesis of methods to describe and analyze and, where appropriate, predict and control random fields. There is much new material, covering both theory and applications, notably on a class of probability distributions derived from quantum mechanics, relevant to stochastic modeling in fields such as cosmology, biology and system reliability, and on discrete-unit or agent-based random processes.Random Fields is self-contained and unified in presentation. The first edition was found, in a review in EOS (American Geophysical Union) to be ?both technically interesting and a pleasure to read ? the presentation is clear and the book should be useful to almost anyone who uses random processes to solve problems in engineering or science ? and (there is) continued emphasis on describing the mathematics in physical terms.?

Markov random field (MRF) theory provides a basis for modeling contextual constraints in visual processing and interpretation. It enables us to develop optimal vision algorithms systematically when used with optimization principles. This book presents a comprehensive study on the use of MRFs for solving computer vision problems. Various vision models are presented in a unified framework, including image restoration and reconstruction, edge and region segmentation, texture, stereo and motion, object matching and recognition, and pose estimation. This third edition includes the most recent advances and has new and expanded sections on topics such as: Bayesian Network; Discriminative Random Fields; Strong Random Fields; Spatial-Temporal Models; Learning MRF for Classification. This book is an excellent reference for researchers working in computer vision, image processing, statistical pattern recognition and applications of MRFs. It is also suitable as a text for advanced courses in these areas.

When one has observed a random field Z at some points and recorded its values (network observations), a natural problem is to estimate Z at points where there are no observations. This dissertation deals first with this problem in an abstract setting, in m dimensions; later, it considers the estimation of a spatial two-dimensional random field. The problem then is one of constructing an estimated map of Z over a geographic area. For a given network of stations the quality of a map depends on the method of estimation. But for the given method of estimation the quality of a map depends on the choice of locations for the stations. This is the problem of network design. Both the study of methods of estimation and the problem of network design are addressed. 16 figures. (RWR).

This book presents an exciting new synthesis of directed and undirected, discrete and continuous graphical models. Combining elements of Bayesian networks and Markov random fields, the newly introduced hybrid random fields are an interesting approach to get the best of both these worlds, with an added promise of modularity and scalability. The authors have written an enjoyable book---rigorous in the treatment of the mathematical background, but also enlivened by interesting and original historical and philosophical perspectives. -- Manfred Jaeger, Aalborg Universitet The book not only marks an effective direction of investigation with significant experimental advances, but it is also---and perhaps primarily---a guide for the reader through an original trip in the space of probabilistic modeling. While digesting the book, one is enriched with a very open view of the field, with full of stimulating connections. [...] Everyone specifically interested in Bayesian networks and Markov random fields should not miss it. -- Marco Gori, Università degli Studi di Siena Graphical models are sometimes regarded---incorrectly---as an impractical approach to machine learning, assuming that they only work well for low-dimensional applications and discrete-valued domains. While guiding the reader through the major achievements of this research area in a technically detailed yet accessible way, the book is concerned with the presentation and thorough (mathematical and experimental) investigation of a novel paradigm for probabilistic graphical modeling, the hybrid random field. This model subsumes and extends both Bayesian networks and Markov random fields. Moreover, it comes with well-defined learning algorithms, both for discrete and continuous-valued domains, which fit the needs of real-world applications involving large-scale, high-dimensional data.

What is Markov Random Field In the domain of physics and probability, a Markov random field (MRF), Markov network or undirected graphical model is a set of random variables having a Markov property described by an undirected graph. In other words, a random field is said to be a Markov random field if it satisfies Markov properties. The concept originates from the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model. How you will benefit (I) Insights, and validations about the following topics: Chapter 1: Markov random field Chapter 2: Multivariate random variable Chapter 3: Hidden Markov model Chapter 4: Bayesian network Chapter 5: Graphical model Chapter 6: Random field Chapter 7: Belief propagation Chapter 8: Factor graph Chapter 9: Conditional random field Chapter 10: Hammersley-Clifford theorem (II) Answering the public top questions about markov random field. (III) Real world examples for the usage of markov random field in many fields. Who this book is for Professionals, undergraduate and graduate students, enthusiasts, hobbyists, and those who want to go beyond basic knowledge or information for any kind of Markov Random Field.