Methods and systems for object segmentation in digital images

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to object segmentation of digital video streams and digital images. In one aspect, a method for segmenting an object in a digitally-encoded image includes designing a non-linear local function that generates function values associated with identifying the object of interest and a combination function that combines the function values, the object of interest encoded in digital image data. The method includes forming orthogonal projections of the digital image data based on the function values and the combination function. In addition, the orthogonal projections can be used to determining boundaries segmenting the object in the digital image data. The method also includes extracting an image of the object that lies within the boundaries.