![](bg4.png)
Figure 7: Hand labeled image superimposition with the
hand labeled image after the morphological opening and
with MAS result.
4 CONCLUSIONS
In this study, a MAS approach is proposed where
agents enrich a traditional edge detector algorithm.
The experiments show that the use of a MAS model
in the micro level could be an effective way to
segment structures in complex images such as retinal
images. In fact, through environment perception and
local interactions, a simple agent organization can
have as global behavior the most part of retinal
vasculature detection. The use of an improved
version of agent society with some knowledge a
priori about the retina proprieties, complemented
with some other traditional image processing
algorithms, could have the potential to develop a
system to detect and differentiate all the anatomic
and pathological structures of the fundus images.
Such an approach will overcome the classic image
processing algorithms that are limited to macro
results which cannot take into account the local
characteristics of a complex image. Therefore, it
could be a fundamental tool responsible for a very
efficient system development to be used in screening
programs concerning DR diagnosis.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Work supported by FEDER funds through the
"Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade
– COMPETE" and by national funds by FCT-
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia. C. Pereira
thanks the FCT for the SFRH/BD/61829/2009 grant.
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