dilationrate

Dilation rate is a term used in several fields to describe how much something expands under a dilation. It can refer to geometric dilation (scaling a shape), a morphological dilation (spreading a shape using a structuring element), or a rate parameter that controls the extent of dilation in a process.

In image processing and geometry, dilation enlarges a set by translating a structuring element along all positions and combining results. The dilation rate commonly corresponds to the size of the structuring element or its radius; larger rates produce greater expansion.

In neural networks, dilation rate (also called atrous rate) is an integer that spaces kernel elements apart. A higher dilation rate increases the receptive field without adding parameters, but can introduce gridding effects if too large.

In medicine, pupil or vascular dilation rate describes how quickly a structure increases in diameter in response to stimuli. It is measured as change in diameter over time (e.g., mm per second) and has clinical relevance for autonomic function.

In geometry, dilation with scale factor s expands distances by s. The rate equivalent is the factor by which the object is scaled.

Because dilation rate is context dependent, authors should specify definitions, units, and methods when using the term.