Deep MR Brain Image Super-Resolution Using Spatio-Structural Priors

High resolution Magnetic Resonance (MR) images are desired for accurate diagnostics. In practice, image resolution is restricted by factors like hardware and processing constraints. Recently, deep learning methods have been shown to produce compelling state-of-the-art results for image enhancement/super-resolution. Paying particular attention to desired hi-resolution MR image structure, we propose a new regularized network that exploits image priors, namely a low-rank structure and a sharpness prior to enhance deep MR image super-resolution (SR). Our contributions are then incorporating these priors in an analytically tractable fashion \color{black} as well as towards a novel prior guided network architecture that accomplishes the super-resolution task. This is particularly challenging for the low rank prior since the rank is not a differentiable function of the image matrix(and hence the network parameters), an issue we address by pursuing differentiable approximations of the rank. Sharpness is emphasized by the variance of the Laplacian which we show can be implemented by a fixed feedback layer at the output of the network. As a key extension, we modify the fixed feedback (Laplacian) layer by learning a new set of training data driven filters that are optimized for enhanced sharpness. Experiments performed on publicly available MR brain image databases and comparisons against existing state-of-the-art methods show that the proposed prior guided network offers significant practical gains in terms of improved SNR/image quality measures. Because our priors are on output images, the proposed method is versatile and can be combined with a wide variety of existing network architectures to further enhance their performance.Comment: Accepted to IEEE transactions on Image Processin

Super-Resolution in Still Images and Videos via Deep Learning

PhDThe evolution of multimedia systems and technology in the past decade has enabled production and delivery of visual content in high resolution, and the thirst for achieving higher de nition pictures with more detailed visual characteristics continues. This brings attention to a critical computer vision task for spatial up-sampling of still images and videos called super-resolution. Recent advances in machine learning, and application of deep neural networks, have resulted in major improvements in various computer vision applications. Super-resolution is not an exception, and it is amongst the popular topics that have been a ected signi cantly by the emergence of deep learning. Employing modern machine learning solutions has made it easier to perform super-resolution in both images and videos, and has allowed professionals from di erent elds to upgrade low resolution content to higher resolutions with visually appealing picture delity. In spite of that, there remain many challenges to overcome in adopting deep learning concepts for designing e cient super-resolution models. In this thesis, the current trends in super-resolution, as well as the state of the art are presented. Moreover, several contributions for improving the performance of the deep learning-based super-resolution models are described in detail. The contributions include devising theoretical approaches, as well as proposing design choices that can lead to enhancing the existing art in super-resolution. In particular, an e ective approach for training convolutional networks is proposed, that can result in optimized and quick training of complex models. In addition, speci c deep learning architectures with novel elements are introduced that can provide reduction in the complexity of the existing solutions, and improve the super-resolution models to achieve better picture quality. Furthermore, application of super-resolution for handling compressed content, and its functionality as a compression tool are studied and investigated.COGNITUS media AI software fundin

Super-resolution assessment and detection

Super Resolution (SR) techniques are powerful digital manipulation tools that have significantly impacted various industries due to their ability to enhance the resolution of lower quality images and videos. Yet, the real-world adaptation of SR models poses numerous challenges, which blind SR models aim to overcome by emulating complex real-world degradations. In this thesis, we investigate these SR techniques, with a particular focus on comparing the performance of blind models to their non-blind counterparts under various conditions. Despite recent progress, the proliferation of SR techniques raises concerns about their potential misuse. These methods can easily manipulate real digital content and create misrepresentations, which highlights the need for robust SR detection mechanisms. In our study, we analyze the limitations of current SR detection techniques and propose a new detection system that exhibits higher performance in discerning real and upscaled videos. Moreover, we conduct several experiments to gain insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the detection models, providing a better understanding of their behavior and limitations. Particularly, we target 4K videos, which are rapidly becoming the standard resolution in various fields such as streaming services, gaming, and content creation. As part of our research, we have created and utilized a unique dataset in 4K resolution, specifically designed to facilitate the investigation of SR techniques and their detection