This book provides a comprehensive introduction to shape analysis and recognition, covering both theoretical and practical aspects. It discusses the importance of shape in various fields, including biology, medicine, and computer vision. The book is organized into chapters that explore the mathematical foundations of shape analysis, image processing techniques, and methods for shape representation, classification, and recognition. It also includes case studies, such as the classification of plant leaves and ganglion cells, to illustrate the application of shape analysis in real-world scenarios. The text emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of shape analysis, incorporating concepts from mathematics, computer science, and biology. It covers various techniques for shape representation, including parametric contours, sets of contour points, and curve approximations. The book also discusses multiscale shape characterization, using methods such as Fourier-based curvature estimation and wavelet-based contour analysis. Additionally, it addresses shape classification and recognition, including supervised and unsupervised classification methods. The book is intended for a broad audience, including researchers and practitioners in various fields, and provides a self-contained introduction to the fundamental concepts and techniques in shape analysis. It includes numerous examples, algorithms, and references to further reading, making it a valuable resource for those interested in the field of shape analysis.This book provides a comprehensive introduction to shape analysis and recognition, covering both theoretical and practical aspects. It discusses the importance of shape in various fields, including biology, medicine, and computer vision. The book is organized into chapters that explore the mathematical foundations of shape analysis, image processing techniques, and methods for shape representation, classification, and recognition. It also includes case studies, such as the classification of plant leaves and ganglion cells, to illustrate the application of shape analysis in real-world scenarios. The text emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of shape analysis, incorporating concepts from mathematics, computer science, and biology. It covers various techniques for shape representation, including parametric contours, sets of contour points, and curve approximations. The book also discusses multiscale shape characterization, using methods such as Fourier-based curvature estimation and wavelet-based contour analysis. Additionally, it addresses shape classification and recognition, including supervised and unsupervised classification methods. The book is intended for a broad audience, including researchers and practitioners in various fields, and provides a self-contained introduction to the fundamental concepts and techniques in shape analysis. It includes numerous examples, algorithms, and references to further reading, making it a valuable resource for those interested in the field of shape analysis.