Image segmentation based on hierarchical belief propagation with variable weighting parameters

The belief propagation (BP) algorithm is an efficient way to minimize the MRF energy for image segmentation. This paper proposes a hierarchical BP algorithm with variable weighting parameters (HBP-VW) to improve the segmentation accuracy of the BP-based algorithms. In the HBP-VW, two variable weighting parameters are introduced, the global parameter and the local parameter. The global parameter is used to overall adjust the influence of each part in the message update rule. The local parameter is designed to describe the local texture pattern for each site. Texture, remote sensing, and nature images are employed to test the proposed algorithm. Experimental results illustrate a better segmentation accuracy compared with other BP-based algorithms.     

A real-time image matching algorithm for integrated navigation system

In this paper we introduced a kind of real-time image matching navigation algorithm based on ORB which can meet the requirement for high speed aircraft. We combined image matching with INS to fix the accumulative error of INS and get high accuracy position data of the aircraft. In order to improve the accuracy and robust of system, we used SIFT feature as a supplement of ORB and introduced the Kalman filter to optimize the output of image matching and INS. Based on maneuverability law, we did wrong point deleting with RANSAC. Finally, we designed a software system to simulate the image matching/INS navigation system. From the result of experiments, we can draw a conclusion that the algorithm has good real-time performance, play a good matching effect and get high accuracy position value.     

Multi-focus image fusion based on robust principal component analysis and pulse-coupled neural network

Multi-focus image fusion combines multiple source images with different focus points into one image, so that the resulting image appears all in-focus. In order to improve the accuracy of focused region detection and fusion quality, a novel multi-focus image fusion scheme based on robust principal component analysis (RPCA) and pulse-coupled neural network (PCNN) is proposed. In this method, registered source images are decomposed into principal component matrices and sparse matrices with RPCA decomposition. The local sparse features computed from the sparse matrix construct a composite feature space to represent the important information from the source images, which become inputs to PCNN to motivate the PCNN neurons. The focused regions of the source images are detected by the firing maps of PCNN and are integrated to construct the final, fused image. Experimental results demonstrate that the superiority of the proposed scheme over existing methods and highlight the expediency and suitability of the proposed method.     

Triple color images encryption algorithm based on scrambling and the reality-preserving fractional discrete cosine transform

An image encryption algorithm to secure three color images simultaneously by combining scrambling with the reality-preserving fractional discrete cosine transform (RPFrDCT) is proposed. The three color images to be encrypted are converted to their indexed formats by extracting their color maps, which can be considered as the three components of a color image. These three components are affected each other by scrambling the interims obtained from vertically and horizontally combining the three indexed formats with the help of the chaos-based cyclic shift. The three scrambled components are separately transformed with the RPFrDCT, in which the generating sequences are determined by the Chirikov standard chaotic map. Arnold transform is used to further enhance the security. Due to the inherent properties of the chaotic maps, the cipher keys are highly sensitive. Additionally, the cipher image is a single color image instead of three color ones, and is convenient for display, storage and transmission due to the reality property of RPFrDCT. Numerical simulations are performed to show the validity of the proposed algorithm.     

Fingerprint image enhancement using multi-scale DDFB based diffusion filters and modified Hong filters

The main task of a fingerprint image enhancement is to enhance the image in such a way that it not only remove the noise but also enhance the reliable minutiae points. For this purpose, in this paper we propose a multi-scale decimation-free directional filter bank method for reliable orientation estimation. This reliable orientation is used in coherence enhancement diffusion and in Gabor filter based enhancement, which overcomes the drawbacks of these two methods. Experimental results show that the proposed method not only enhances the images but also facilitates the minutiae algorithm, by enhancing the true minutiae points.     

Context dependent graph-based method for laser cladding image thresholding

For segmentation method to be useful it must be fast, easy to use, and produce high quality segmentations, but few algorithms can offer this in various conditions and applications. In this paper, we propose a context dependent graph-based method for transition region extraction and thresholding. The graph-based approach is introduced into image thresholding, and context dependent graph is constructed from a given image, which can adaptively extract the pixel context and shape information because of the scalable neighborhood. Then an edge weight function is defined as the measure of possible transition pixels, and a robust fully automatic scheme for the optimal threshold is also presented. The proposed approach is validated both quantitatively and qualitatively. Compared with the traditional state-of-art algorithms on synthetic and real images, as well as laser cladding images, the experimental results suggest that the new proposal is efficient and effective.     

An adaptive super-resolution method based on regional pixel information and ringing artifacts suppression

Multi-frame image super-resolution (SR) aims to utilize information from a set of low-resolution (LR) images to compose a high-resolution (HR) one. In this paper, a novel multi-frame image super-resolution algorithm is proposed based on regional pixel information and ringing artifacts suppression. Firstly, a new regularization term which adopts Regional Adaptive Weight Coefficients (RAWC) is produced to keep edges and flat regions. After detailed analysis, an iterative process is given for image reconstruction. Then an adaptive term according to the local variance of iterative correction image is designed to evaluate the ringing artifacts. Finally, the original iteration is updated by adding the restraint term for better visual effects and lower noise of reconstructive HR image. Thorough experimental results show the proposed algorithm is effective for SR reconstruction and ringing artifacts suppression.     

A hybrid Particle Chemical Reaction Optimization for biological image matching based on lateral inhibition

In this paper, a hybrid Particle Chemical Reaction Optimization (PCRO) algorithm and lateral inhibition is proposed to solve the image matching problem. Lateral inhibition has the ability to enhance the characters of image, which can help to improve the accuracy of image matching. In order to overcome the shortcomings of basic Chemical Reaction Optimization (CRO) algorithm, we improve CRO by proposing PCRO which inspired from the thought of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). Comparative experimental results in image matching show that our proposed hybrid method performs much better than other bio-inspired algorithms.     

A false color image fusion method based on multi-resolution color transfer in normalization YCBCR space

In this paper, a false color image fusion method for merging visible and infrared images is proposed. Firstly, the source images and reference image are decomposed respectively by Laplacian pyramid transform. Then the grayscale fused image and the difference images between the normalized source images are assigned to construct YC_BC_R components. In the color transfer step, all the three channels of the color space in each decomposition level are processed with the statistic color mapping according to the color characteristics of the corresponding sub-images of the reference image. Color transfer is designed based on the multi-resolution scheme in order to significantly improve the detailed information of the final image, and to reduce excessive saturation phenomenon to have a comparatively natural color appearance compared with the classical global-coloring algorithm. Moreover, the differencing operation between the normalized source images not only provides inter-sensor contrast to make popping the potential targets but also weakens the influence of the ambient illumination variety to a certain degree. Finally, the fused results and several metrics for evaluation of fused images subjectively and objectively illustrate that the proposed color image fusion algorithm can yield a more complete mental representation of the perceived scene, resulting in better situational awareness.     

Image quality assessment in multiband DCT domain based on SSIM

The performance of image quality assessment method based on SSIM (structural similarity) is better than the PSNR (peak signal to noise ratio), but the assessment effects of SSIM is poor for seriously blurred image, therefore, the model that combined HVS (human visual sensitivity) and SSIM was established. The basic idea is based on the human eye's sensitivity to different frequency distortion image, the image is two-dimensional discrete cosine transform frequency component into low, mid, high-frequency component, to obtain the frequency component of light, contrast and structural information, using Pearson coefficient for weight and sum processing to the sub-image according to frequency bands of different sensitive degree, finally, get the sharpness of the image. Through nonlinear regression analysis of objective assessment and DMOS, experiments showed that this method was closer to human perception than SSIM and GSSIM for serious blurred distortion image. At the same time, compared to conventional algorithm MAE (mean absolute error), MSE (mean square error) and PSNR, this model was more consistent with human visual characteristics.