A contour detecting apparatus for accurately detecting a contour of a target
object
without increasing the detection time is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a section
for storing a contour model consisting of nodes, which surrounds at least one target
object in a captured image and is used for detecting a contour of the target object;
a deforming section for contracting or expanding the contour model by shifting
the nodes based on a predetermined rule; a section for calculating a distance between
two non-adjacent nodes of the contour model which was deformed by the deforming
section, and determining that the contour model is to be split when the calculated
distance is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold; and a section for
splitting the contour model according to a result of the above determination, wherein
the splitting operation is executed in the vicinity of said non-adjacent nodes.
