Regional Growth Segmentation: Superpixels

I recently came across some impressive software from some researchers at Stanford University (who else), called Make3D which takes any 2 dimensional images - preferably outdoor images, and converts them into 3D models. The whole 2D to 3D process begins with a method called image segmentation, where structures in an image are separated into superpixels. Superpixels are collections of pixels with similar properties - for example saturation, colour, brightness etc.

I decided to write some software capable of creating the superpixel structure, and segmenting an image. The route I went down is called regional growth segmentation. Superpixels grow outwards from a sample pixel, and depending on the similarity of tested pixels to the superpixels, they are either added to the superpixel, or create new superpixels...

Here are a few results with different thresholds for similarity (again, just click the first image to launch the application).

I'll take a look at some of the Make3D source code to see if I can generate some 3D planes from my superpixel, so stay tuned!