A novel spatial domain image enhancement algorithm, in which dynamic range of the scene illumination is compressed from the human visual perspective to improve the visual quality and visibility in digital images captured under degraded visual conditions, is proposed. The proposed algorithm employs an adaptive approach so that local image statics, namely the local standard deviation and the local mean in the image are modified simultaneously utilizing an intensity transform based on a “S” shape curve, the curvature parameter of which is determined adaptively followed by a local contrast enhancement process. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated by a statistical visual measure, along with visual comparisons of the proposed method with state-of-the-art enhancement algorithms are given.

Date Published: 16 May 2013
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 8737, Degraded Visual Environments: Enhanced, Synthetic, and External Vision Solutions 2013, 87370K (16 May 2013); doi: 10.1117/12.2016308

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8737:
Degraded Visual Environments: Enhanced, Synthetic, and External Vision Solutions 2013
Kenneth L. Bernier; Jeff J. Güell, Editor(s)