Subhash Gubba Prof. Richard G.

Baraniuk ELEC-631 22 March 2013 Modern Image Filtering This paper by Peyman Milanfar is an overview of decades worth of research, development, and application in the image processing world. It centers on the idea of image filtering starting with the different types of contemporary filters and the methods and algorithms behind them. Many techniques are discussed, including smoothing, estimation, and classification. Much of what filters do relies on a measurement of similarity, and because there is a multitude of ways to approach this, the amount of filters which exist are high as well. Much data on an image can be computed using distances, specifically spatial data. We have visited this in the past when looking at SIFT, keypoint descriptors, and scale-space. A Gaussian kernel is optimal for this convolutional and computation, and together these techniques constitute the Classical Kernel Regression Filter. A Bilateral filter using Euclidian Distance can also be useful. This vector-based approach is primarily effective for the purpose of categorizing points distance-wise on an image. However, its shortcomings include being ineffective in low signal-to-noise situations, which are a common occurrence. Its simplicity in the department of computations, calculations, and adaptability are what make the filter useful. Nonlocal Means (NLM) algorithms are particularly useful in that they examine the photometric distance between points, which can help signify important areas on the image. The

Gubba 2 Gaussian again plays a large role here in weighting the samples observed, which become important for stages where multiple iterations are required. Steering or Locally Adaptive Regression Kernels (LARK) are major clients of the Geodesic Distance. This kernel is specifically robust to noise and thus makes it a vital tool for filtering and clearing up an image. Various methods are implemented to ensure robustness of filters, as well as mathematical techniques. Kernels which are symmetric and positive definite provide extra benefits when convolving, such as better data collection and better child kernels which are derived from the originals. Also important is the formulation of matrices and optimizing their use to guarantee stability of filter coefficients and noise-robustness. In conclusion, these filters and numerous others prove to function best with multiple iterations and correct application. Most often the mean square error lowers as the number of iterations increases, which shows the effectiveness of each filter. Every filters strengths can be utilized together to perhaps create a much more robust method to the ongoing challenge of computer vision and effective image filtering.

Works Cited Milanfar, Peyman. "A tour of modern image filtering." IEEE Signal Processing Magazine 2 (2011).