Scene understanding refers to the ability of a system, such as a computer or robot, to interpret and analyze visual information from its environment. This involves recognizing various elements within a scene, such as objects, people, and backgrounds, and understanding their relationships and context. By processing images or video, scene understanding enables machines to make sense of complex environments. This capability is essential for applications like autonomous vehicles, which need to navigate safely, and smart home devices, which respond to user interactions and environmental changes.