A Study of High Dynamic Range Imaging with Spatially Varying Exposures Considering Hue Distortion

首都大学東

Interactive mixed reality rendering in a distributed ray tracing framework

The recent availability of interactive ray tracing opened the way for new applications and for improving existing ones in terms of quality. Since today CPUs are still too slow for this purpose, the necessary computing power is obtained by connecting a number of machines and using distributed algorithms. Mixed reality rendering - the realm of convincingly combining real and virtual parts to a new composite scene - needs a powerful rendering method to obtain a photorealistic result. The ray tracing algorithm thus provides an excellent basis for photorealistic rendering and also advantages over other methods. It is worth to explore its abilities for interactive mixed reality rendering. This thesis shows the applicability of interactive ray tracing for mixed (MR) and augmented reality (AR) applications on the basis of the OpenRT framework. Two extensions to the OpenRT system are introduced and serve as basic building blocks: streaming video textures and in-shader AR view compositing. Streaming video textures allow for inclusion of the real world into interactive applications in terms of imagery. The AR view compositing mechanism is needed to fully exploit the advantages of modular shading in a ray tracer. A number of example applications from the entire spectrum of the Milgram Reality-Virtuality continuum illustrate the practical implications. An implementation of a classic AR scenario, inserting a virtual object into live video, shows how a differential rendering method can be used in combination with a custom build real-time lightprobe device to capture the incident light and include it into the rendering process to achieve convincing shading and shadows. Another field of mixed reality rendering is the insertion of real actors into a virtual scene in real-time. Two methods - video billboards and a live 3D visual hull reconstruction - are discussed. The implementation of live mixed reality systems is based on a number of technologies beside rendering and a comprehensive understanding of related methods and hardware is necessary. Large parts of this thesis hence deal with the discussion of technical implementations and design alternatives. A final summary discusses the benefits and drawbacks of interactive ray tracing for mixed reality rendering.Die Verfügbarkeit von interaktivem Ray-Tracing ebnet den Weg für neue Anwendungen, aber auch für die Verbesserung der Qualität bestehener Methoden. Da die heute verfügbaren CPUs noch zu langsam sind, ist es notwendig, mehrere Maschinen zu verbinden und verteilte Algorithmen zu verwenden. Mixed Reality Rendering - die Technik der überzeugenden Kombination von realen und synthetischen Teilen zu einer neuen Szene - braucht eine leistungsfähige Rendering-Methode um photorealistische Ergebnisse zu erzielen. Der Ray-Tracing-Algorithmus bietet hierfür eine exzellente Basis, aber auch Vorteile gegenüber anderen Methoden. Es ist naheliegend, die Möglichkeiten von Ray-Tracing für Mixed-Reality-Anwendungen zu erforschen. Diese Arbeit zeigt die Anwendbarkeit von interaktivem Ray-Tracing für Mixed-Reality (MR) und Augmented-Reality (AR) Anwendungen anhand des OpenRT-Systems. Zwei Erweiterungen dienen als Grundbausteine: Videotexturen und In-Shader AR View Compositing. Videotexturen erlauben die reale Welt in Form von Bildern in den Rendering-Prozess mit einzubeziehen. Der View-Compositing-Mechanismus is notwendig um die Modularität einen Ray-Tracers voll auszunutzen. Eine Reihe von Beispielanwendungen von beiden Enden des Milgramschen Reality-Virtuality-Kontinuums verdeutlichen die praktischen Aspekte. Eine Implementierung des klassischen AR-Szenarios, das Einfügen eines virtuellen Objektes in eine Live-Übertragung zeigt, wie mittels einer Differential Rendering Methode und einem selbstgebauten Gerät zur Erfassung des einfallenden Lichts realistische Beleuchtung und Schatten erzielt werden können. Ein anderer Anwendungsbereich ist das Einfügen einer realen Person in eine künstliche Szene. Hierzu werden zwei Methoden besprochen: Video-Billboards und eine interaktive 3D Rekonstruktion. Da die Implementierung von Mixed-Reality-Anwendungen Kentnisse und Verständnis einer ganzen Reihe von Technologien nebem dem eigentlichen Rendering voraus setzt, ist eine Diskussion der technischen Grundlagen ein wesentlicher Bestandteil dieser Arbeit. Dies ist notwenig, um die Entscheidungen für bestimmte Designalternativen zu verstehen. Den Abschluss bildet eine Diskussion der Vor- und Nachteile von interaktivem Ray-Tracing für Mixed Reality Anwendungen

Interactive mixed reality rendering in a distributed ray tracing framework

The recent availability of interactive ray tracing opened the way for new applications and for improving existing ones in terms of quality. Since today CPUs are still too slow for this purpose, the necessary computing power is obtained by connecting a number of machines and using distributed algorithms. Mixed reality rendering - the realm of convincingly combining real and virtual parts to a new composite scene - needs a powerful rendering method to obtain a photorealistic result. The ray tracing algorithm thus provides an excellent basis for photorealistic rendering and also advantages over other methods. It is worth to explore its abilities for interactive mixed reality rendering. This thesis shows the applicability of interactive ray tracing for mixed (MR) and augmented reality (AR) applications on the basis of the OpenRT framework. Two extensions to the OpenRT system are introduced and serve as basic building blocks: streaming video textures and in-shader AR view compositing. Streaming video textures allow for inclusion of the real world into interactive applications in terms of imagery. The AR view compositing mechanism is needed to fully exploit the advantages of modular shading in a ray tracer. A number of example applications from the entire spectrum of the Milgram Reality-Virtuality continuum illustrate the practical implications. An implementation of a classic AR scenario, inserting a virtual object into live video, shows how a differential rendering method can be used in combination with a custom build real-time lightprobe device to capture the incident light and include it into the rendering process to achieve convincing shading and shadows. Another field of mixed reality rendering is the insertion of real actors into a virtual scene in real-time. Two methods - video billboards and a live 3D visual hull reconstruction - are discussed. The implementation of live mixed reality systems is based on a number of technologies beside rendering and a comprehensive understanding of related methods and hardware is necessary. Large parts of this thesis hence deal with the discussion of technical implementations and design alternatives. A final summary discusses the benefits and drawbacks of interactive ray tracing for mixed reality rendering.Die Verfügbarkeit von interaktivem Ray-Tracing ebnet den Weg für neue Anwendungen, aber auch für die Verbesserung der Qualität bestehener Methoden. Da die heute verfügbaren CPUs noch zu langsam sind, ist es notwendig, mehrere Maschinen zu verbinden und verteilte Algorithmen zu verwenden. Mixed Reality Rendering - die Technik der überzeugenden Kombination von realen und synthetischen Teilen zu einer neuen Szene - braucht eine leistungsfähige Rendering-Methode um photorealistische Ergebnisse zu erzielen. Der Ray-Tracing-Algorithmus bietet hierfür eine exzellente Basis, aber auch Vorteile gegenüber anderen Methoden. Es ist naheliegend, die Möglichkeiten von Ray-Tracing für Mixed-Reality-Anwendungen zu erforschen. Diese Arbeit zeigt die Anwendbarkeit von interaktivem Ray-Tracing für Mixed-Reality (MR) und Augmented-Reality (AR) Anwendungen anhand des OpenRT-Systems. Zwei Erweiterungen dienen als Grundbausteine: Videotexturen und In-Shader AR View Compositing. Videotexturen erlauben die reale Welt in Form von Bildern in den Rendering-Prozess mit einzubeziehen. Der View-Compositing-Mechanismus is notwendig um die Modularität einen Ray-Tracers voll auszunutzen. Eine Reihe von Beispielanwendungen von beiden Enden des Milgramschen Reality-Virtuality-Kontinuums verdeutlichen die praktischen Aspekte. Eine Implementierung des klassischen AR-Szenarios, das Einfügen eines virtuellen Objektes in eine Live-Übertragung zeigt, wie mittels einer Differential Rendering Methode und einem selbstgebauten Gerät zur Erfassung des einfallenden Lichts realistische Beleuchtung und Schatten erzielt werden können. Ein anderer Anwendungsbereich ist das Einfügen einer realen Person in eine künstliche Szene. Hierzu werden zwei Methoden besprochen: Video-Billboards und eine interaktive 3D Rekonstruktion. Da die Implementierung von Mixed-Reality-Anwendungen Kentnisse und Verständnis einer ganzen Reihe von Technologien nebem dem eigentlichen Rendering voraus setzt, ist eine Diskussion der technischen Grundlagen ein wesentlicher Bestandteil dieser Arbeit. Dies ist notwenig, um die Entscheidungen für bestimmte Designalternativen zu verstehen. Den Abschluss bildet eine Diskussion der Vor- und Nachteile von interaktivem Ray-Tracing für Mixed Reality Anwendungen

High-fidelity colour reproduction for high-dynamic-range imaging

The aim of this thesis is to develop a colour reproduction system for high-dynamic-range (HDR) imaging. Classical colour reproduction systems fail to reproduce HDR images because current characterisation methods and colour appearance models fail to cover the dynamic range of luminance present in HDR images. HDR tone-mapping algorithms have been developed to reproduce HDR images on low-dynamic-range media such as LCD displays. However, most of these models have only considered luminance compression from a photographic point of view and have not explicitly taken into account colour appearance. Motivated by the idea to bridge the gap between crossmedia colour reproduction and HDR imaging, this thesis investigates the fundamentals and the infrastructure of cross-media colour reproduction. It restructures cross-media colour reproduction with respect to HDR imaging, and develops a novel cross-media colour reproduction system for HDR imaging. First, our HDR characterisation method enables us to measure HDR radiance values to a high accuracy that rivals spectroradiometers. Second, our colour appearance model enables us to predict human colour perception under high luminance levels. We first built a high-luminance display in order to establish a controllable high-luminance viewing environment. We conducted a psychophysical experiment on this display device to measure perceptual colour attributes. A novel numerical model for colour appearance was derived from our experimental data, which covers the full working range of the human visual system. Our appearance model predicts colour and luminance attributes under high luminance levels. In particular, our model predicts perceived lightness and colourfulness to a significantly higher accuracy than other appearance models. Finally, a complete colour reproduction pipeline is proposed using our novel HDR characterisation and colour appearance models. Results indicate that our reproduction system outperforms other reproduction methods with statistical significance. Our colour reproduction system provides high-fidelity colour reproduction for HDR imaging, and successfully bridges the gap between cross-media colour reproduction and HDR imaging

Holography

Holography - Basic Principles and Contemporary Applications is a collection of fifteen chapters, describing the basic principles of holography and some recent innovative developments in the field. The book is divided into three sections. The first, Understanding Holography, presents the principles of hologram recording illustrated with practical examples. A comprehensive review of diffraction in volume gratings and holograms is also presented. The second section, Contemporary Holographic Applications, is concerned with advanced applications of holography including sensors, holographic gratings, white-light viewable holographic stereograms. The third section of the book Digital Holography is devoted to digital hologram coding and digital holographic microscopy

Evaluation of changes in image appearance with changes in displayed image size

This research focused on the quantification of changes in image appearance when images are displayed at different image sizes on LCD devices. The final results provided in calibrated Just Noticeable Differences (JNDs) on relevant perceptual scales, allowing the prediction of sharpness and contrast appearance with changes in the displayed image size. A series of psychophysical experiments were conducted to enable appearance predictions. Firstly, a rank order experiment was carried out to identify the image attributes that were most affected by changes in displayed image size. Two digital cameras, exhibiting very different reproduction qualities, were employed to capture the same scenes, for the investigation of the effect of the original image quality on image appearance changes. A wide range of scenes with different scene properties was used as a test-set for the investigation of image appearance changes with scene type. The outcomes indicated that sharpness and contrast were the most important attributes for the majority of scene types and original image qualities. Appearance matching experiments were further conducted to quantify changes in perceived sharpness and contrast with respect to changes in the displayed image size. For the creation of sharpness matching stimuli, a set of frequency domain filters were designed to provide equal intervals in image quality, by taking into account the system’s Spatial Frequency Response (SFR) and the observation distance. For the creation of contrast matching stimuli, a series of spatial domain S-shaped filters were designed to provide equal intervals in image contrast, by gamma adjustments. Five displayed image sizes were investigated. Observers were always asked to match the appearance of the smaller version of each stimulus to its larger reference. Lastly, rating experiments were conducted to validate the derived JNDs in perceptual quality for both sharpness and contrast stimuli. Data obtained by these experiments finally converted into JND scales for each individual image attribute. Linear functions were fitted to the final data, which allowed the prediction of image appearance of images viewed at larger sizes than these investigated in this research

Perceptually inspired image estimation and enhancement

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, 2009.Includes bibliographical references (p. 137-144).In this thesis, we present three image estimation and enhancement algorithms inspired by human vision. In the first part of the thesis, we propose an algorithm for mapping one image to another based on the statistics of a training set. Many vision problems can be cast as image mapping problems, such as, estimating reflectance from luminance, estimating shape from shading, separating signal and noise, etc. Such problems are typically under-constrained, and yet humans are remarkably good at solving them. Classic computational theories about the ability of the human visual system to solve such under-constrained problems attribute this feat to the use of some intuitive regularities of the world, e.g., surfaces tend to be piecewise constant. In recent years, there has been considerable interest in deriving more sophisticated statistical constraints from natural images, but because of the high-dimensional nature of images, representing and utilizing the learned models remains a challenge. Our techniques produce models that are very easy to store and to query. We show these techniques to be effective for a number of applications: removing noise from images, estimating a sharp image from a blurry one, decomposing an image into reflectance and illumination, and interpreting lightness illusions. In the second part of the thesis, we present an algorithm for compressing the dynamic range of an image while retaining important visual detail. The human visual system confronts a serious challenge with dynamic range, in that the physical world has an extremely high dynamic range, while neurons have low dynamic ranges.(cont.) The human visual system performs dynamic range compression by applying automatic gain control, in both the retina and the visual cortex. Taking inspiration from that, we designed techniques that involve multi-scale subband transforms and smooth gain control on subband coefficients, and resemble the contrast gain control mechanism in the visual cortex. We show our techniques to be successful in producing dynamic-range-compressed images without compromising the visibility of detail or introducing artifacts. We also show that the techniques can be adapted for the related problem of "companding", in which a high dynamic range image is converted to a low dynamic range image and saved using fewer bits, and later expanded back to high dynamic range with minimal loss of visual quality. In the third part of the thesis, we propose a technique that enables a user to easily localize image and video editing by drawing a small number of rough scribbles. Image segmentation, usually treated as an unsupervised clustering problem, is extremely difficult to solve. With a minimal degree of user supervision, however, we are able to generate selection masks with good quality. Our technique learns a classifier using the user-scribbled pixels as training examples, and uses the classifier to classify the rest of the pixels into distinct classes. It then uses the classification results as per-pixel data terms, combines them with a smoothness term that respects color discontinuities, and generates better results than state-of-art algorithms for interactive segmentation.by Yuanzhen Li.Ph.D

Snapshot spectral imaging using image replication and birefringent interferometry : principles and applications

This thesis explores the image-replicating imaging spectrometer (IRIS). This relatively recent invention is a two-dimensional, snapshot spectral-imaging technology, capable of recording the spectral and spatial data from a scene instantaneously. Whereas conventional spectral-imaging technologies require multiple detector frames to record the entire data set, IRIS is able to record the data set in a single frame, a capability which is useful for highly dynamic scenes. The IRIS concept and the design of IRIS systems are explained in detail, and constraints on the performance of IRIS are determined. Practical issue in the use of IRIS systems are identi ed and solutions are identi ed and appraised. Some applications of IRIS are also shown, demonstrating its viability as a spectral imaging technology. Novel aspects of this work include the re nement of the IRIS design, demonstration of a registration algorithm for IRIS, designs for achromatic Wollaston prisms, a comparison of the IRIS technology with conventional spectral imaging technologies, and the application of IRIS to practical problems.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)Selex Galile

Image Quality Evaluation in Lossy Compressed Images

This research focuses on the quantification of image quality in lossy compressed images, exploring the impact of digital artefacts and scene characteristics upon image quality evaluation. A subjective paired comparison test was implemented to assess perceived quality of JPEG 2000 against baseline JPEG over a range of different scene types. Interval scales were generated for both algorithms, which indicated a subjective preference for JPEG 2000, particularly at low bit rates, and these were confirmed by an objective distortion measure. The subjective results did not follow this trend for some scenes however, and both algorithms were found to be scene dependent as a result of the artefacts produced at high compression rates. The scene dependencies were explored from the interval scale results, which allowed scenes to be grouped according to their susceptibilities to each of the algorithms. Groupings were correlated with scene measures applied in a linked study. A pilot study was undertaken to explore perceptibility thresholds of JPEG 2000 of the same set of images. This work was developed with a further experiment to investigate the thresholds of perceptibility and acceptability of higher resolution JPEG 2000 compressed images. A set of images was captured using a professional level full-frame Digital Single Lens Reflex camera, using a raw workflow and carefully controlled image-processing pipeline. The scenes were quantified using a set of simple scene metrics to classify them according to whether they were average, higher than, or lower than average, for a number of scene properties known to affect image compression and perceived image quality; these were used to make a final selection of test images. Image fidelity was investigated using the method of constant stimuli to quantify perceptibility thresholds and just noticeable differences (JNDs) of perceptibility. Thresholds and JNDs of acceptability were also quantified to explore suprathreshold quality evaluation. The relationships between the two thresholds were examined and correlated with the results from the scene measures, to identify more or less susceptible scenes. It was found that the level and differences between the two thresholds was an indicator of scene dependency and could be predicted by certain types of scene characteristics. A third study implemented the soft copy quality ruler as an alternative psychophysical method, by matching the quality of compressed images to a set of images varying in a single attribute, separated by known JND increments of quality. The imaging chain and image processing workflow were evaluated using objective measures of tone reproduction and spatial frequency response. An alternative approach to the creation of ruler images was implemented and tested, and the resulting quality rulers were used to evaluate a subset of the images from the previous study. The quality ruler was found to be successful in identifying scene susceptibilities and observer sensitivity. The fourth investigation explored the implementation of four different image quality metrics. These were the Modular Image Difference Metric, the Structural Similarity Metric, The Multi-scale Structural Similarity Metric and the Weighted Structural Similarity Metric. The metrics were tested against the subjective results and all were found to have linear correlation in terms of predictability of image quality