Wavelets: Mathematical Tools for Image Analysis

Abstract

Mathematics is very human—we all enjoy using our brains, thinking, making connections, and checking to see if our conclusions are true. For me, mathematics is also a way to experience creativity, which is what makes me happy. In this article, I want to share this delight with you, through the story of wavelets. Wavelets are mathematical tools that my colleagues and I developed, which are very useful in analyzing images and other signals like medical scans or audio files. I hope that, by the end of this article, you will see that mathematics is much more interesting and diverse than memorizing formulas and performing calculations. It is a creative endeavor that advances society and can make our lives richer and more beautiful.