An '''epitome''', in [[data processing]], is a condensed digital representation of the essential [[Statistics|statistical]] properties of ordered [[dataset]]s such as [[Matrix|matrices]] representingthat represent [[image]]s, [[audio signal]]s, [[video]]s or [[genetic sequence]]s. Although much smaller than the epitomized data, the epitome contains many of the smaller overlapping parts of the data with much less repetition and with some level of generalization. As such, it can be used for data mining and other machine learning and signal processing tasks. The first use of '''epitomic analysis''' was performed on image textures<ref>Nebojsa Jojic's image epitome website [http://www.research.microsoft.com/~jojic/epitome.html].</ref> for the purposes of [[Image processing|image parsing]]. The epitome model has also been applied to videos.<ref>Vincent Cheung's video epitome website [http://www.vincentcheung.ca/research/videoepitome.html].</ref> Filling in missing parts of a video, removing objects from a scene and performing video [[super-resolution]] are examples of tasks in which the video epitome has proven useful.
Epitomes are also being investigated as tools for [[rational vaccine design]].
