ADMIRE: a locally adaptive single-image, non-uniformity correction and denoising algorithm: application to uncooled IR camera

TL;DR

This paper introduces ADMIRE, a simple, low-cost, single-image method for correcting non-uniformity and noise in uncooled IR images, without calibration or artifacts.

Contribution

It presents a novel hybrid approach combining adaptive contrast adjustment and denoising that corrects complex non-linear non-uniformity using only one image.

Findings

Outperforms total variation in real and simulated tests

No calibration or test-pattern needed

No ghost artifacts produced

Abstract

We propose a new way to correct for the non-uniformity (NU) and the noise in uncooled infrared-type images. This method works on static images, needs no registration, no camera motion and no model for the non uniformity. The proposed method uses an hybrid scheme including an automatic locally-adaptive contrast adjustment and a state-of-the-art image denoising method. It permits to correct for a fully non-linear NU and the noise efficiently using only one image. We compared it with total variation on real raw and simulated NU infrared images. The strength of this approach lies in its simplicity, low computational cost. It needs no test-pattern or calibration and produces no "ghost-artefact".