Accuracy enhanced thermal face recognition

Human face recognition has been generally researched for the last three decades. Face recognition with thermal image has begun to attract significant attention gradually since illumination of environment would not affect the recognition performance. However, the recognition performance of traditional thermal face recognizer is still insufficient in practical application. This study presents a novel thermal face recognizer employing not only thermal features but also critical facial geometric features which would not be influenced by hair style to improve the recognition performance. A three-layer back-propagation feed-forward neural network is applied as the classifier. Traditional thermal face recognizers only use the indirect information of the topography of blood vessels like thermogram as features. To overcome this limitation, the proposed thermal face recognizer can use not only the indirect information but also the direct information of the topography of blood vessels which is unique for every human. Moreover, the recognition performance of the proposed thermal features would not decrease even if the hair of frontal bone varies, the eye blinks or the nose breathes. Experimental results show that the proposed features are significantly more effective than traditional thermal features and the recognition performance of thermal face recognizer is improved.     

An improved fusion algorithm for infrared and visible images based on multi-scale transform

In this paper, an improved fusion algorithm for infrared and visible images based on multi-scale transform is proposed. First of all, Morphology-Hat transform is used for an infrared image and a visible image separately. Then two images were decomposed into high-frequency and low-frequency images by contourlet transform (CT). The fusion strategy of high-frequency images is based on mean gradient and the fusion strategy of low-frequency images is based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Finally, the final fused image is obtained by using the inverse contourlet transform (ICT). The experiments and results demonstrate that the proposed method can significantly improve image fusion performance, accomplish notable target information and high contrast and preserve rich details information at the same time.     

Two-scale image fusion of visible and infrared images using saliency detection

Military, navigation and concealed weapon detection need different imaging modalities such as visible and infrared to monitor a targeted scene. These modalities provide complementary information. For better situation awareness, complementary information of these images has to be integrated into a single image. Image fusion is the process of integrating complementary source information into a composite image. In this paper, we propose a new image fusion method based on saliency detection and two-scale image decomposition. This method is beneficial because the visual saliency extraction process introduced in this paper can highlight the saliency information of source images very well. A new weight map construction process based on visual saliency is proposed. This process is able to integrate the visually significant information of source images into the fused image. In contrast to most of the multi-scale image fusion techniques, proposed technique uses only two-scale image decomposition. So it is fast and efficient. Our method is tested on several image pairs and is evaluated qualitatively by visual inspection and quantitatively using objective fusion metrics. Outcomes of the proposed method are compared with the state-of-art multi-scale fusion techniques. Results reveal that the proposed method performance is comparable or superior to the existing methods.     

Super-resolution reconstruction face recognition based on multi-level FFD registration

Super-resolution (SR) reconstruction is an effective method to solve the problem, that the face image resolution is too low to be recognized in video, but the non-rigid change of deformed face and expression changes greatly affect the accuracy of registration and reconstruction. To solve these problems, a method of multi-level model free form deformation (FFD) elastic registration algorithm based on B spline is proposed. It first use low-resolution FFD grid for global registration, to emphasize the contribution of edge information for registration, we introduce edge registration measure into the sum of squared difference (SSD) criterion. Then divide the global registration image and reference image into a series of corresponding sub-image pairs and calculate the correlation coefficient of each pair; at the same time, we do local registration with high-resolution FFD grid to the small value correlation coefficient sub-image pairs. In the registration process of optimization, the paper uses adaptive step length gradient descent method algorithm based on chaotic variables to improve optimization efficiency. After registration, the algorithm of project onto convex sets (POCS) is used to reconstruct SR face image through several low resolution image sequences, and then recognized these SR face images by support vector machines (SVM) classifier. Experimental results from standard video database and self-built video database show that this method can register and reconstruct face image accurately in the condition of great face deformation and expression change, while the face recognition accuracy is also improved.     

基于小波变换的红外热波无损检测融合算法

在红外热波无损检测中获取的热像序列存在着背景噪声大、缺陷边缘模糊、对比度低等特点。为了提高由红外热像序列重构的数字图像的缺陷显示能力,以小波变换为热像处理工具,采用基于像素级和特征级的图像融合算法对热像序列进行了处理,并采用基于统计学的图像评估标准对处理效果作了定量评价。通过对铝合金试件的检测实验说明该方法可用于材料内部缺陷的红外热波无损检测。研究结果表明,此种图像融合算法可对不同深度缺陷所对应的两幅最佳热像进行有效地融合,在一幅融合图像中直观地反映出全部缺陷,并能有效地减少加热不均和背景噪声对缺陷识别的不利影响。     

Within-component and between-component discriminant analysis for color face recognition

How to efficiently utilize the color image information and extract effective features is the key of color face recognition. In this paper, we first analyze the similarities between facial color component image samples and their influence on color face recognition. Then we propose a novel color face recognition approach named within-component and between-component discriminant analysis (WBDA), which realizes discriminant analysis not only within each color component but also between different components. Experimental results on the face recognition grand challenge (FRGC) version 2 database demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms several representative color face recognition methods.     

红外和彩色可见光图像亮度-对比度传递融合算法

以红外和彩色可见光图像为研究对象,提出了一种基于亮度-对比度传递（LCT）技术的彩色图像融合算法。首先借助灰度融合方法将红外图像与彩色可见光图像亮度分量融合,然后用LCT技术改善灰度融合结果的亮度和对比度,最后利用快速YCBCR变换融合策略在RGB空间内直接生成彩色融合图像。文中利用像素平均融合法和多分辨率融合法作为不同的灰度融合措施以分别满足高实时性和高融合质量的需求。实验结果表明,提出算法的融合结果不仅具有与输入彩色可见光图像相近的自然色彩,而且具备令人满意的亮度和对比度,即使采用运算简单的像素平均法进行灰度融合,同样可以获得良好的融合效果。     

A face recognition algorithm based on collaborative representation

In this paper, we propose a face recognition algorithm by incorporating a neighbor matrix into the objective function of sparse coding. We first calculate the neighbor matrix between the test sample and each training sample by using the revised reconstruction error of each class. Specifically, the revised reconstruction error (RRE) of each class is the division of the l₂-norm of reconstruction error to the l₂-norm of reconstruction coefficients, which can be used to increase the discrimination information for classification. Then we use the neighbor matrix and all the training samples to linearly represent the test sample. Thus, our algorithm can preserve locality and similarity information of sparse coding. The experimental results show that our algorithm achieves better performance than four previous algorithms on three face databases.     

Face and eyes localization algorithm in thermal images for temperature measurement of the inner canthus of the eyes

In this paper, a novel algorithm for the detection and localization of the face and eyes in thermal images is presented, particularly the temperature measurement of the human body by measuring the eye corner (inner canthus) temperature. The algorithm uses a combination of the template-matching, knowledge-based and morphological methods, particularly the modified Randomized Hough Transform (RHT) in the localization process, also growing segmentation to increase accuracy of the localization algorithm. In many solutions, the localization of the face and/or eyes is made by manual selection of the regions of the face and eyes and then the average temperature in the region is measured. The paper also discusses experimental studies and the results, which allowed the evaluation of the effectiveness of the developed algorithm. The standardization of measurement, necessary for proper temperature measurement with the use of infrared thermal imaging, are also presented.     

基于图像局部区域梯度特征描述的红外人体识别算法

提出了一种新的红外图像中人体目标识别方案并进行了算法实现。通过直方图聚类分析对红外图像进行分割,根据二值化图像团块的特点,确定图像中的候选目标图像区域。将候选目标图像按比例划分为多个区域,使用梯度位置朝向直方图(GLOH,Gradient location-orientation histogram)对候选目标图像进行描述。与其它红外图像中人体识别算法相比,不需要多种特征提取算法组合进行分步骤识别,仅使用单个SVM分类器即可达到满意的识别率,避免了分类器的级联,算法简单有效。     

基于匹配度和多小波变换的图像融合

介绍了多小波变换的理论基础。多小波变换具有正交性、光滑性、对称性、有限支撑域等性质,因而非常适合用于图像处理。给出了多小波域的图像匹配度的定义,提出了一种基于匹配度和多小波变换的图像融合算法。该算法可以实现不同传感器图像的有效、可靠的融合。使用该算法对可见光图像和红外图像进行了融合实验,并对融合结果进行了评价和分析。     

A sparse representation method based on kernel and virtual samples for face recognition

To improve the classification accuracy of face recognition, a sparse representation method based on kernel and virtual samples is proposed in this paper. The proposed method has the following basic idea: first, it extends the training samples by copying the left side of the original training samples to the right side to form virtual training samples. Then the virtual training samples and the original training samples make up a new training set and we use a kernel-induced distance to determine M nearest neighbors of the test sample from the new training set. Second, it expresses the test sample as a linear combination of the selected M nearest training samples and finally exploits the determined linear combination to perform classification of the test sample. A large number of face recognition experiments on different face databases illustrate that the error ratios obtained by our method are always lower more or less than face recognition methods including the method mentioned in Xu and Zhu [21], the method proposed in Xu and Zhu [39], sparse representation method based on virtual samples (SRMVS), collaborative representation based classification with regularized least square (CRC_RLS), two-phase test sample sparse representation (TPTSSR), and the feature space-based representation method.     

Infrared/laser multi-sensor fusion and tracking based on the multi-scale model

The state estimation problem of targets detected by infrared/laser composite detection system with different sampling rates was studied in this paper. An effective state estimation algorithm based on data fusion is presented. Because sampling rate of infrared detection system is much higher than that of the laser detection system, the theory of multi-scale analysis is used to establish multi-scale model in this algorithm. At the fine scale, angle information provided by infrared detection system is used to estimate the target state through the unscented Kalman filter. It makes full use of the high frequency characteristic of infrared detection system to improve target state estimation accuracy. At the coarse scale, due to the sampling ratio of infrared and laser detection systems is an integer multiple, the angle information can be fused directly with the distance information of laser detection system to determine the target location. The fused information is served as observation, while the converted measurement Kalman filter (CMKF) is used to estimate the target state, which greatly reduces the complexity of filtering process and gets the optimal fusion estimation. The simulation results of tracking a target in 3-D space by infrared and laser detection systems demonstrate that the proposed algorithm in this paper is efficient and can obtain better performance than traditional algorithm.     

基于目标识别的红外与微光图像融合方法

 为了在融合图像中突出运动目标,提出了一种基于动态目标检测和识别的图像融合算法。先对红外图像序列中的运动目标进行检测和提取,同时对红外和微光图像进行融合,最后将提取到的红外目标与融合图像进行二次融合。试验结果表明,该算法获得的融合图像不仅具有普通融合算法信息丰富的特点,还具有鲜明的红外目标指示特性。     

基于数字图像处理技术的人脸检测算法研究

为了提高人脸检测的准确性及检测速度,需要对基于数字图像处理技术的人脸检测算法进行研究。使用当前方法进行人脸检测时,需要提取脸部特征数目较多、检测速度过慢,降低人脸检测效率。为此,提出一种基于数字图像处理技术的人脸检测算法。该方法首先获取人脸数字图像,通过拉开数字图像的灰度间距,使数字图像灰度均匀分布,进而提高数字图像对比度,使图像更加清晰,再通过Wiener维纳滤算法对处理后的数字图像进行图像平滑去噪,在此基础上使用Robert边缘检测算子方法对数字图像人脸边缘每个像素点检测,得到数字图像中人脸边缘的基本图像,将其输入到计算机数字图像处理系统中进行识别检测。实验仿真证明,所提算法在检测速度及准确性等方面具有明显的优势。     

A fusion method for visible and infrared images based on contrast pyramid with teaching learning based optimization

This paper proposes a novel image fusion scheme based on contrast pyramid (CP) with teaching learning based optimization (TLBO) for visible and infrared images under different spectrum of complicated scene. Firstly, CP decomposition is employed into every level of each original image. Then, we introduce TLBO to optimizing fusion coefficients, which will be changed under teaching phase and learner phase of TLBO, so that the weighted coefficients can be automatically adjusted according to fitness function, namely the evaluation standards of image quality. At last, obtain fusion results by the inverse transformation of CP. Compared with existing methods, experimental results show that our method is effective and the fused images are more suitable for further human visual or machine perception.     

基于多尺度形态学滤波器的图像融合新方法

提出了一种保持图像细节和高抗噪性的图像融合新方法。这种方法首先对源图像进行多尺度形态学开闭滤波,得到源图像的低频平滑图像;然后应用多尺度Top-hat变换和Bottom-hat变换来提取小于相应尺度的图像细节特征。因为在较小的尺度特征中包含噪声颗粒的可能性较大,据此修正了Top-hat变换和Bottom-hat变换的相应系数;最后对以上两步骤得到的低频平滑图像和多尺度高频细节图像分别进行图像融合,应用形态学重建过程生成融合图像。实验表明,这种融合方法具有图像细节保持完整和噪声消除效果好的优点,处理效果优于传统的图像融合方法。     

基于多特征融合的图像匹配模式

 常规图像匹配模式主要利用了像素的灰度信息和形状信息，而弱小目标检测与跟踪过程中，这两种信息都缺乏明显特征，难于满足高精度、稳定跟踪的要求。提出一种新的匹配模式，即从图像数据里提取包括灰度、形状在内的多种特征信息。寻找一种简单有效的信息融合手段，进而获取一种综合特征，利用“综合特征”进行相似度量来确定目标的最佳定位。仿真计算结果表明，该方法是可行和有效的。