VisTA-SR: Improving the Accuracy and Resolution of Low-Cost Thermal Imaging Cameras for Agriculture

TL;DR

This paper introduces VisTA-SR, a deep learning-based method that combines RGB and thermal images to significantly improve the accuracy and resolution of low-cost thermal cameras for agricultural research.

Contribution

It presents a novel deep learning approach for calibrating and enhancing low-resolution thermal images, making thermal imaging more accessible and effective in agriculture.

Findings

Enhanced temperature measurement accuracy

Improved thermal image resolution and clarity

Potential for replacing high-cost industrial thermal cameras

Abstract

Thermal cameras are an important tool for agricultural research because they allow for non-invasive measurement of plant temperature, which relates to important photochemical, hydraulic, and agronomic traits. Utilizing low-cost thermal cameras can lower the barrier to introducing thermal imaging in agricultural research and production. This paper presents an approach to improve the temperature accuracy and image quality of low-cost thermal imaging cameras for agricultural applications. Leveraging advancements in computer vision techniques, particularly deep learning networks, we propose a method, called $\textbf{VisTA-SR}$ ($\textbf{Vis}$ual \& $\textbf{T}$hermal $\textbf{A}$lignment and $\textbf{S}$uper-$\textbf{R}$esolution Enhancement) that combines RGB and thermal images to enhance the capabilities of low-resolution thermal cameras. The research includes calibration and validation of temperature measurements, acquisition of paired image datasets, and the development of a deep learning network tailored for agricultural thermal imaging. Our study addresses the challenges of image enhancement in the agricultural domain and explores the potential of low-cost thermal cameras to replace high-resolution industrial cameras. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach in enhancing temperature accuracy and image sharpness, paving the way for more accessible and efficient thermal imaging solutions in agriculture.