Armin Mehri, Parichehr Behjati, Dario Carpio, & Angel Sappa. (2023). SRFormer: Efficient Yet Powerful Transformer Network for Single Image Super Resolution. ACCESS - IEEE Access, 11.
Abstract: Recent breakthroughs in single image super resolution have investigated the potential of deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to improve performance. However, CNNs based models suffer from their limited fields and their inability to adapt to the input content. Recently, Transformer based models were presented, which demonstrated major performance gains in Natural Language Processing and Vision tasks while mitigating the drawbacks of CNNs. Nevertheless, Transformer computational complexity can increase quadratically for high-resolution images, and the fact that it ignores the original structures of the image by converting them to the 1D structure can make it problematic to capture the local context information and adapt it for real-time applications. In this paper, we present, SRFormer, an efficient yet powerful Transformer-based architecture, by making several key designs in the building of Transformer blocks and Transformer layers that allow us to consider the original structure of the image (i.e., 2D structure) while capturing both local and global dependencies without raising computational demands or memory consumption. We also present a Gated Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) Feature Fusion module to aggregate the features of different stages of Transformer blocks by focusing on inter-spatial relationships while adding minor computational costs to the network. We have conducted extensive experiments on several super-resolution benchmark datasets to evaluate our approach. SRFormer demonstrates superior performance compared to state-of-the-art methods from both Transformer and Convolutional networks, with an improvement margin of 0.1∼0.53dB . Furthermore, while SRFormer has almost the same model size, it outperforms SwinIR by 0.47% and inference time by half the time of SwinIR. The code will be available on GitHub.
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Patricia Suarez, Henry Velesaca, Dario Carpio, & Angel Sappa. (2023). Corn kernel classification from few training samples. Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture, 89–99.
Abstract: This article presents an efficient approach to classify a set of corn kernels in contact, which may contain good, or defective kernels along with impurities. The proposed approach consists of two stages, the first one is a next-generation segmentation network, trained by using a set of synthesized images that is applied to divide the given image into a set of individual instances. An ad-hoc lightweight CNN architecture is then proposed to classify each instance into one of three categories (ie good, defective, and impurities). The segmentation network is trained using a strategy that avoids the time-consuming and human-error-prone task of manual data annotation. Regarding the classification stage, the proposed ad-hoc network is designed with only a few sets of layers to result in a lightweight architecture capable of being used in integrated solutions. Experimental results and comparisons with previous approaches showing both the improvement in accuracy and the reduction in time are provided. Finally, the segmentation and classification approach proposed can be easily adapted for use with other cereal types.
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Spencer Low, Oliver Nina, Angel Sappa, Erik Blasch, & Nathan Inkawhich. (2023). Multi-Modal Aerial View Image Challenge: Translation From Synthetic Aperture Radar to Electro-Optical Domain Results-PBVS 2023. In Proceedings of the IEEE/CVF Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition Workshops (pp. 515–523).
Abstract: This paper unveils the discoveries and outcomes of the inaugural iteration of the Multi-modal Aerial View Image Challenge (MAVIC) aimed at image translation. The primary objective of this competition is to stimulate research efforts towards the development of models capable of translating co-aligned images between multiple modalities. To accomplish the task of image translation, the competition utilizes images obtained from both synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and electro-optical (EO) sources. Specifically, the challenge centers on the translation from the SAR modality to the EO modality, an area of research that has garnered attention. The inaugural challenge demonstrates the feasibility of the task. The dataset utilized in this challenge is derived from the UNIfied COincident Optical and Radar for recognitioN (UNICORN) dataset. We introduce an new version of the UNICORN dataset that is focused on enabling the sensor translation task. Performance evaluation is conducted using a combination of measures to ensure high fidelity and high accuracy translations.
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Rafael E. Rivadeneira, Angel Sappa, Boris X. Vintimilla, Chenyang Wang, Junjun Jiang, Xianming Liu, et al. (2023). Thermal Image Super-Resolution Challenge Results-PBVS 2023. In Proceedings of the IEEE/CVF Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition Workshops (pp. 470–478).
Abstract: This paper presents the results of two tracks from the fourth Thermal Image Super-Resolution (TISR) challenge, held at the Perception Beyond the Visible Spectrum (PBVS) 2023 workshop. Track-1 uses the same thermal image dataset as previous challenges, with 951 training images and 50 validation images at each resolution. In this track, two evaluations were conducted: the first consists of generating a SR image from a HR thermal noisy image downsampled by four, and the second consists of generating a SR image from a mid-resolution image and compare it with its semi-registered HR image (acquired with another camera). The results of Track-1 outperformed those from last year’s challenge. On the other hand, Track-2 uses a new acquired dataset consisting of 160 registered visible and thermal images of the same scenario for training and 30 validation images. This year, more than 150 teams participated in the challenge tracks, demonstrating the community’s ongoing interest in this topic.
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Spencer Low, Oliver Nina, Angel Sappa, Erik Blasch, & Nathan Inkawhich. (2023). Multi-Modal Aerial View Object Classification Challenge Results-PBVS 2023. In Proceedings of the IEEE/CVF Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition Workshops (pp. 412–421).
Abstract: This paper presents the findings and results of the third edition of the Multi-modal Aerial View Object Classification (MAVOC) challenge in a detailed and comprehensive manner. The challenge consists of two tracks. The primary aim of both tracks is to encourage research into building recognition models that utilize both synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and electro-optical (EO) imagery. Participating teams are encouraged to develop multi-modal approaches that incorporate complementary information from both domains. While the 2021 challenge demonstrated the feasibility of combining both modalities, the 2022 challenge expanded on the capability of multi-modal models. The 2023 challenge introduces a refined version of the UNICORN dataset and demonstrates significant improvements made. The 2023 challenge adopts an updated UNIfied CO-incident Optical and Radar for recognitioN (UNICORN V2) dataset and competition format. Two tasks are featured: SAR classification and SAR + EO classification. In addition to measuring accuracy of models, we also introduce out-of-distribution measures to encourage model robustness.The majority of this paper is dedicated to discussing the top performing methods and evaluating their performance on our blind test set. It is worth noting that all of the top ten teams outperformed the Resnet-50 baseline. The top team for SAR classification achieved a 173% performance improvement over the baseline, while the top team for SAR + EO classification achieved a 175% improvement.
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Patricia Suarez, & Angel Sappa. (2023). Toward a Thermal Image-Like Representation. In Proceedings of the 18th International Joint Conference on Computer Vision, Imaging and Computer Graphics Theory and Applications (pp. 133–140).
Abstract: This paper proposes a novel model to obtain thermal image-like representations to be used as an input in any thermal image compressive sensing approach (e.g., thermal image: filtering, enhancing, super-resolution). Thermal images offer interesting information about the objects in the scene, in addition to their temperature. Unfortunately, in most of the cases thermal cameras acquire low resolution/quality images. Hence, in order to improve these images, there are several state-of-the-art approaches that exploit complementary information from a low-cost channel (visible image) to increase the image quality of an expensive channel (infrared image). In these SOTA approaches visible images are fused at different levels without paying attention the images acquire information at different bands of the spectral. In this paper a novel approach is proposed to generate thermal image-like representations from a low cost visible images, by means of a contrastive cycled GAN network. Obtained representations (synthetic thermal image) can be later on used to improve the low quality thermal image of the same scene. Experimental results on different datasets are presented.
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Gisel Bastidas-Guacho, Patricio Moreno, Boris X. Vintimilla, & Angel Sappa. (2023). Application on the Loop of Multimodal Image Fusion: Trends on Deep-Learning Based Approaches. In 13th International Conference on Pattern Recognition Systems (Vol. 14234, 25–36).
Abstract: Multimodal image fusion allows the combination of information from different modalities, which is useful for tasks such as object detection, edge detection, and tracking, to name a few. Using the fused representation for applications results in better task performance. There are several image fusion approaches, which have been summarized in surveys. However, the existing surveys focus on image fusion approaches where the application on the loop of multimodal image fusion is not considered. On the contrary, this study summarizes deep learning-based multimodal image fusion for computer vision (e.g., object detection) and image processing applications (e.g., semantic segmentation), that is, approaches where the application module leverages the multimodal fusion process to enhance the final result. Firstly, we introduce image fusion and the existing general frameworks for image fusion tasks such as multifocus, multiexposure and multimodal. Then, we describe the multimodal image fusion approaches. Next, we review the state-of-the-art deep learning multimodal image fusion approaches for vision applications. Finally, we conclude our survey with the trends of task-driven multimodal image fusion.
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Xavier Soria, Yachuan Li, Mohammad Rouhani, & Angel Sappa. (2023). Tiny and Efficient Model for the Edge Detection Generalization. In Proceedings of the IEEE/CVF International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV) Workshops.
Abstract: Most high-level computer vision tasks rely on low-level image operations as their initial processes. Operations such as edge detection, image enhancement, and super-resolution, provide the foundations for higher level image analysis. In this work we address the edge detection considering three main objectives: simplicity, efficiency, and generalization since current state-of-the-art (SOTA) edge detection models are increased in complexity for better accuracy. To achieve this, we present Tiny and Efficient Edge Detector (TEED), a light convolutional neural network with only 58K parameters, less than 0:2% of the state-of-the-art models. Training on the BIPED dataset takes less than 30 minutes, with each epoch requiring less than 5 minutes. Our proposed model is easy to train and it quickly converges within very first few epochs, while the predicted edge-maps are crisp and of high quality. Additionally, we propose a new dataset to test the generalization of edge detection, which comprises samples from popular images used in edge detection and image segmentation. The source code is available in https://github.com/xavysp/TEED.
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Armin Mehri. (2023). Deep learning based architectures for cross-domain image processing (Angel Sappa, Ed.). Ph.D. thesis, IMPRIMA, .
Abstract: Human vision is restricted to the visual-optical spectrum. Machine vision is not.
Cameras sensitive to diverse infrared spectral bands can improve the capacities of
autonomous systems and provide a comprehensive view. Relevant scene content
can be made visible, particularly in situations when sensors of other modalities,
such as a visual-optical camera, require a source of illumination. As a result, increasing the level of automation not only avoids human errors but also reduces
machine-induced errors. Furthermore, multi-spectral sensor systems with infrared
imagery as one modality are a rich source of information and can conceivably
increase the robustness of many autonomous systems. Robotics, automobiles,
biometrics, security, surveillance, and the military are some examples of fields
that can profit from the use of infrared imagery in their respective applications.
Although multimodal spectral sensors have come a long way, there are still several
bottlenecks that prevent us from combining their output information and using
them as comprehensive images. The primary issue with infrared imaging is the lack
of potential benefits due to their cost influence on sensor resolution, which grows
exponentially with greater resolution. Due to the more costly sensor technology
required for their development, their resolutions are substantially lower than thoseof regular digital cameras.
This thesis aims to improve beyond-visible-spectrum machine vision by integrating multi-modal spectral sensors. The emphasis is on transforming the produced images to enhance their resolution to match expected human perception, bring the color representation close to human understanding of natural color, and improve machine vision application performance. This research focuses mainly on two tasks, image Colorization and Image Super resolution for both single- and cross-domain problems. We first start with an extensive review of the state of the art in both tasks, point out the shortcomings of existing approaches, and then present our solutions to address their limitations. Our solutions demonstrate that low-cost channel information (i.e., visible image) can be used to improve expensive channel
information (i.e., infrared image), resulting in images with higher quality and closer to human perception at a lower cost than a high-cost infrared camera.
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Iban Berganzo-Besga, Hector A. Orengo, Felipe Lumbreras, Aftab Alam, Rosie Campbell, Petrus J Gerrits, et al. (2023). Curriculum learning-based strategy for low-density archaeological mound detection from historical maps in India and Pakistan. ScR - Scientific Reports, 13, 11257.
Abstract: This paper presents two algorithms for the large-scale automatic detection and instance segmentation of potential archaeological mounds on historical maps. Historical maps present a unique source of information for the reconstruction of ancient landscapes. The last 100 years have seen unprecedented landscape modifications with the introduction and large-scale implementation of mechanised agriculture, channel-based irrigation schemes, and urban expansion to name but a few. Historical maps offer a window onto disappearing landscapes where many historical and archaeological elements that no longer exist today are depicted. The algorithms focus on the detection and shape extraction of mound features with high probability of being archaeological settlements, mounds being one of the most commonly documented archaeological features to be found in the Survey of India historical map series, although not necessarily recognised as such at the time of surveying. Mound features with high archaeological potential are most commonly depicted through hachures or contour-equivalent form-lines, therefore, an algorithm has been designed to detect each of those features. Our proposed approach addresses two of the most common issues in archaeological automated survey, the low-density of archaeological features to be detected, and the small amount of training data available. It has been applied to all types of maps available of the historic 1″ to 1-mile series, thus increasing the complexity of the detection. Moreover, the inclusion of synthetic data, along with a Curriculum Learning strategy, has allowed the algorithm to better understand what the mound features look like. Likewise, a series of filters based on topographic setting, form, and size have been applied to improve the accuracy of the models. The resulting algorithms have a recall value of 52.61% and a precision of 82.31% for the hachure mounds, and a recall value of 70.80% and a precision of 70.29% for the form-line mounds, which allowed the detection of nearly 6000 mound features over an area of 470,500 km2, the largest such approach to have ever been applied. If we restrict our focus to the maps most similar to those used in the algorithm training, we reach recall values greater than 60% and precision values greater than 90%. This approach has shown the potential to implement an adaptive algorithm that allows, after a small amount of retraining with data detected from a new map, a better general mound feature detection in the same map.
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Xavier Soria, Angel Sappa, Patricio Humanante, & Arash Akbarinia. (2023). Dense extreme inception network for edge detection. PR - Pattern Recognition, 139, 109461.
Abstract: Edge detection is the basis of many computer vision applications. State of the art predominantly relies on deep learning with two decisive factors: dataset content and network architecture. Most of the publicly available datasets are not curated for edge detection tasks. Here, we address this limitation. First, we argue that edges, contours and boundaries, despite their overlaps, are three distinct visual features requiring separate benchmark datasets. To this end, we present a new dataset of edges. Second, we propose a novel architecture, termed Dense Extreme Inception Network for Edge Detection (DexiNed), that can be trained from scratch without any pre-trained weights. DexiNed outperforms other algorithms in the presented dataset. It also generalizes well to other datasets without any fine-tuning. The higher quality of DexiNed is also perceptually evident thanks to the sharper and finer edges it outputs.
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Henry Velesaca, Gisel Bastidas-Guacho, Mohammad Rouhani, & Angel Sappa. (2024). Multimodal image registration techniques: a comprehensive survey. MTAP - Multimedia Tools and Applications, .
Abstract: This manuscript presents a review of state-of-the-art techniques proposed in the literature for multimodal image registration, addressing instances where images from different modalities need to be precisely aligned in the same reference system. This scenario arises when the images to be registered come from different modalities, among the visible and thermal spectral bands, 3D-RGB, or flash-no flash, or NIR-visible. The review spans different techniques from classical approaches to more modern ones based on deep learning, aiming to highlight the particularities required at each step in the registration pipeline when dealing with multimodal images. It is noteworthy that medical images are excluded from this review due to their specific characteristics, including the use of both active and passive sensors or the non-rigid nature of the body contained in the image.
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Patricia Suarez, Dario Carpio, & Angel Sappa. (2024). Enhancement of guided thermal image super-resolution approaches. NEUCOM - Neurocomputing, 573(127197), 1–17.
Abstract: Guided image processing techniques are widely used to extract meaningful information from a guiding image and facilitate the enhancement of the guided one. This paper specifically addresses the challenge of guided thermal image super-resolution, where a low-resolution thermal image is enhanced using a high-resolution visible spectrum image. We propose a new strategy that enhances outcomes from current guided super-resolution methods. This is achieved by transforming the initial guiding data into a representation resembling a thermal-like image, which is more closely in sync with the intended output. Experimental results with upscale factors of 8 and 16, demonstrate the outstanding performance of our approach in guided thermal image super-resolution obtained by mapping the original guiding information to a thermal-like image representation.
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Mohamed Ramzy Ibrahim, Robert Benavente, Daniel Ponsa, & Felipe Lumbreras. (2024). SWViT-RRDB: Shifted Window Vision Transformer Integrating Residual in Residual Dense Block for Remote Sensing Super-Resolution. In 19th International Joint Conference on Computer Vision, Imaging and Computer Graphics Theory and Applications.
Abstract: Remote sensing applications, impacted by acquisition season and sensor variety, require high-resolution images. Transformer-based models improve satellite image super-resolution but are less effective than convolutional neural networks (CNNs) at extracting local details, crucial for image clarity. This paper introduces SWViT-RRDB, a new deep learning model for satellite imagery super-resolution. The SWViT-RRDB, combining transformer with convolution and attention blocks, overcomes the limitations of existing models by better representing small objects in satellite images. In this model, a pipeline of residual fusion group (RFG) blocks is used to combine the multi-headed self-attention (MSA) with residual in residual dense block (RRDB). This combines global and local image data for better super-resolution. Additionally, an overlapping cross-attention block (OCAB) is used to enhance fusion and allow interaction between neighboring pixels to maintain long-range pixel dependencies across the image. The SWViT-RRDB model and its larger variants outperform state-of-the-art (SoTA) models on two different satellite datasets in terms of PSNR and SSIM.
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Mohamed Ramzy Ibrahim, Robert Benavente, Daniel Ponsa, & Felipe Lumbreras. (2023). Unveiling the Influence of Image Super-Resolution on Aerial Scene Classification. In Progress in Pattern Recognition, Image Analysis, Computer Vision, and Applications (Vol. 14469, 214–228). LNCS.
Abstract: Deep learning has made significant advances in recent years, and as a result, it is now in a stage where it can achieve outstanding results in tasks requiring visual understanding of scenes. However, its performance tends to decline when dealing with low-quality images. The advent of super-resolution (SR) techniques has started to have an impact on the field of remote sensing by enabling the restoration of fine details and enhancing image quality, which could help to increase performance in other vision tasks. However, in previous works, contradictory results for scene visual understanding were achieved when SR techniques were applied. In this paper, we present an experimental study on the impact of SR on enhancing aerial scene classification. Through the analysis of different state-of-the-art SR algorithms, including traditional methods and deep learning-based approaches, we unveil the transformative potential of SR in overcoming the limitations of low-resolution (LR) aerial imagery. By enhancing spatial resolution, more fine details are captured, opening the door for an improvement in scene understanding. We also discuss the effect of different image scales on the quality of SR and its effect on aerial scene classification. Our experimental work demonstrates the significant impact of SR on enhancing aerial scene classification compared to LR images, opening new avenues for improved remote sensing applications.
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