Fast marching method

The fast marching method is introduced by James A. Sethian as a numerical method for solving boundary value problems of the form:

$F(x)|\nabla T(x)|=1$.

Typically, such a problem describes the evolution of a closed curve as a function of time $T$ with speed $F(x)$ in the normal direction at a point $x$ on the curve. The speed function is specified, and the time at which the contour crosses a point $x$ is obtained by solving the equation.

The algorithm is similar to Dijkstra's algorithm and uses the fact that information only flows outward from the seeding area.

This problem is a special case of level set methods. More general algorithms exist but are normally slower

• 
  Maze as speed function shortest path
• 
  Distance map multi-stencils with random source points

External links

• The Fast Marching Method and its Applications by James A. Sethian
• Multi-Stencils Fast Marching Methods
• Multi-Stencils Fast Marching Matlab Implementation
• Tutorial on the Fast Marching Methods
• Implementation Details of the Fast Marching Methods