Generalized structure tensor

In image analysis, the generalized structure tensor (GST) is an extension of the Cartesian structure tensor to curvilinear coordinates. It is mainly used to detect and to represent the "direction" parameters of curves, just as the Cartesian structure tensor detects and represents the direction in Cartesian coordinates. Curve families generated by pairs of locally orthogonal functions have been the best studied.

It is a widely known method in applications of image and video processing including computer vision, such as biometric identification by fingerprints, and studies of human tissue sections.