Paul L. Rosin
Department of Computer Science and Information Systems,
Brunel University,
Uxbridge,
Middlesex UB8 3PH
UK
email: Paul.Rosin@brunel.ac.uk
The least squares method is the most commonly used technique for fitting an ellipse through a set of points. However, it has a low breakdown point, which means that it performs poorly in the presence of outliers. We describe various alternative methods for ellipse fitting which are more robust: the Theil-Sen, least median of squares, Hilbert curve, and minimum volume estimator approaches. Testing with synthetic data demonstrates that the least median of squares is the most suitable method in terms of accuracy and robustness.
Paul L Rosin