Title
Colour night vision: system deveopments and observer evaluation studies
Author
Toet, A.
Publication year
2018
Abstract
The increasing availability of imaging sensors operating in multiple spectral bands, in combination with lenses that cover a broad spectral range and dedicated image fusion hardware has spurred the development of colour fusion schemes that aim to convey the information from these sensors to the human operator. Inspired by previously developed colour opponent fusing schemes, we initially derived a simple pixel-based false colour mapping scheme that yields fused false colour images with large colour contrast and preserves the identity of the input signals, but does not produce realistic colours. A subsequent statistical colour mapping procedure that transfers the colour distribution of a given example image to a multiband night-time image yielded a more realistic colour rendering. However, it is computationally expensive and achieves no colour constancy, since the mapping depends on the relative amounts of the different materials in the scene. By applying the statistical mapping approach in a colour look-up-table framework, we finally achieved both colour constancy and computational simplicity. This sample-based colour transfer method is specific for different types of materials in the scene and is easily adapted for the intended background and the task at hand. The method can be implemented as a look-up-table transform and is highly suited to real-time implementations. We show some prototype real-time multi-band colour night vision systems and examples of recordings made with these systems during night-time field trials, along with the results of several validation studies that were performed to assess the added value of colour night vision.
Subject
Defence, Safety and Security
Human & Operational Modelling
PCS - Perceptual and Cognitive Systems
ELSS - Earth, Life and Social Sciences
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:2e1062cb-6389-453f-9096-bc52ee029de7
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/0301006617715527
TNO identifier
957780
Source
Perception, 47 (47), 115-122
Document type
article