Proceedings Article | 7 March 2024
KEYWORDS: Image enhancement, Image sensors, Image quality, Algorithms, Detection and tracking algorithms, Adverse weather, Sensors, Light sources and illumination, Histograms, Distortion
Nowadays, image recognition plays a pivotal role in acquiring data via sensors. However, the adaptability of traditional algorithms is hindered by the unpredictable nature of open environments, varying sensor quality, and image dimensions. Challenges arise in adverse conditions like inclement weather, low light, and optical distortions. Retinex-based methods have emerged as a viable solution, effectively enhancing images plagued by shadows or poor lighting. Yet, issues surface when images possess saturated colors; the conventional multi-scale Retinex with color restoration risks color inversion. Moreover, during gain compensation, extreme histogram values occupy significant gray level space, obscuring vital image details. This study delves into these challenges and proposes an enhanced multi-scale Retinex algorithm. Our approach substitutes logarithmic functions with tansig functions, eliminating color inversion risks. Additionally, a novel gain compensation method, integrating histogram stretching with Gamma correction, refines image clarity. The algorithm's robustness is evidenced in diverse scenarios, including adverse weather, low light, underwater imaging, and non-uniform lighting. Experimental results validate our method's superiority, surpassing other Retinex-based techniques both qualitatively and quantitatively. This research contributes valuable insights into image enhancement methodologies, fostering advancements in sensor-based data gathering in Smart Spaces.
