UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI MILANO SCUOLA DI DOTTORATO IN INFORMATICA DIPARTIMENTO DI INFORMATICA CORSO DI DOTTORATO - CICLO XXV TESI DI DOTTORATO DI RICERCA Attributed Relational SIFT-based Regions Graph (ARSRG): Description, Matching and Applications

To Vincenzo. I learned to walk under the rain. Today, I'm a better person but I'll never be like you. ii Acknowledgments A first thank is for myself. I lived this adventure as a bike race under the storm. Filled of difficulties and obstacles to avoid. I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor, Professor Alfredo Petrosino. His understanding, encouraging as well personal guidance have provided a good help for the present thesis. During these years, I have collaborated with people of CVPRLab (Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition Laboratory), of University of Naples " Parthenope " , with whom I shared funny and joyful moments, and to whom I wish to extend my warmest thanks, particularly Antonio Maratea, Alessio Ferone and Giorgio Gemignani, for helping me with my work. My thought go to Brigida, for this wonderful life together. Thank you for the love that give me every day. I wish also to thank to my family for their unconditional encouragement. I am grateful to Iovane family (Gigi, Michela, Angelo and Sofia Elena) and Variopinto family (Salvatore and Iliana) for their immense hospitality and warmth, during October 2009 in my beloved city Bologna. Those days will be forever etched in my mind. My last thought, but not least, goes to my star Carolina for the encourage, from sky, every day.