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Fractional-order derivative is attracting more and more attention of researchers in image processing because of its better property in restoring more texture than the total variation. To improve the performance of fractional-order variation model in image restoration, a truncated fractional-order variation model was proposed in Chan and Liang [Truncated fractional-order variation model for image restoration, J. Oper. Res. Soc. China]. In this paper, we propose a dual approach to solve this truncated fractional-order variation model on noise removal. The proposed algorithm is based on the dual approach proposed by Chambolle [An algorithm for total variation minimisation and applications, J. Math Imaging Vis. 20 (2004), pp. 89–97]. Conversely, the Chambolle's dual approach can be treated as a special case of the proposed algorithm with fractional order α = 1. The work of this paper modifies the result in Zhang et al. [Adaptive fractional-order multi-scale method for image denoising, J. Math. Imaging Vis. 43(1) (2012), pp. 39–49. Springer Netherlands 0924–9907, Computer Science, pp. 1–11, 2011], where the convergence is not analysed. Based on the truncation, the convergence of the proposed dual method can be analysed and the convergence criteria can be provided. In addition, the accuracy of the reconstruction is improved after the truncation is taken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Registration between remote sensing images has been a research focus in the field of remote sensing image processing. Most of the existing image registration algorithms applied to feature point matching are derived from image feature extraction methods, such as scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT), speed-up robust features (SURF) and Siamese neural network. Such methods encounter difficulties in achieving accurate image registration where there is a large bias in the image features or no significant feature points. Aiming to solve this problem, this paper proposes an algorithm for multi-source image registration based on geographical location information (GLI). By calculating the geographic location information that corresponds to the pixel in the image, the ideal projected pixel position of the corresponding image is obtained using spatial coordinate transformation. Additionally, the corresponding relationship between the two images is calculated by combining multiple sets of registration points. The simulation experiment illustrates that, under selected common simulation parameters, the average value of the relative registration-point error between the two images is 12.64 pixels, and the registration accuracy of the corresponding ground registration point is higher than 6.5 m. In the registration experiment involving remote sensing images from different sources, the average registration pixel error of this algorithm is 20.92 pixels, and the registration error of the image center is 21.24 pixels. In comparison, the image center registration error given by the convolutional neural network (CNN) is 142.35 pixels after the registration error is manually eliminated. For the registration of homologous and featureless remote sensing images, the SIFT algorithm can only offer one set of registration points for the correct region, and the neural network cannot achieve accurate registration results. The registration accuracy of the presented algorithm is 7.2 pixels, corresponding to a ground registration accuracy of 4.32 m and achieving more accurate registration between featureless images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atanassov's intuitionistic fuzzy sets have succussed in the application of decision making, data mining, artificial intelligence, image processing, and so on. In these applications, intuitionistic fuzzy reasoning plays a crucial role. To improve the quality of intuitionistic fuzzy reasoning, this paper presents a quintuple intuitionistic fuzzy implication principle (QIIP) to resolve intuitionistic fuzzy modus ponens (IFMP) and intuitionistic fuzzy modus tollens (IFMT) problems. The QIIP algorithms of IFMP and IFMT problems for intuitionistic R-implication, S-implication, and several fuzzy implications are represented. Moreover, we investigate the recovery property and continuity of QIIP algorithms for IFMP and IFMT. Finally, an application example for medical diagnosis is implemented to illustrate our proposed approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image matching is an important research topic in computer vision and image processing. However, existing quantum algorithms mainly focus on accurate matching between template pixels, and are not robust to changes in image location and scale. In addition, the similarity calculation of the matching process is a fundamentally important issue. Therefore, this paper proposes a hybrid quantum algorithm, which uses the robustness of SIFT (scale-invariant feature transform) to extract image features, and combines the advantages of quantum exponential storage and parallel computing to represent data and calculate feature similarity. Finally, the quantum amplitude estimation is used to extract the measurement results and realize the quadratic acceleration of calculation. The experimental results show that the matching effect of this algorithm is better than the existing classical architecture. Our hybrid algorithm broadens the application scope and field of quantum computing in image processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In dark or poorly lit environments, it is often difficult for the naked eye to distinguish low-light-level images because of low brightness, low contrast and noise, and it is difficult to perform subsequent image processing (such as video surveillance and target detection). To solve these problems, this paper proposes a low-light-level image enhancement algorithm based on deep learning. First, the low-light-level image is segmented into several super-pixels, and the noise level of each super-pixel is estimated by the ratio of the local standard deviation to the local gradient. Then, the image is inverted and smoothed by a BM3D filter, and the structural filter adaptive method is used to obtain complete images without noise but with the correct texture. Finally, the noise-free image and texture-complete images are applied to the integrated network, which can not only enhance the contrast but also effectively prevent the over-enhancement of the contrast. The experimental results show that this method is superior to traditional methods in terms of both subjective and objective evaluation, and the peak signal–noise ratio and improved structural similarity are 31.64 dB and 91.2%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a constant rise in the amount of data being copied or plagiarized because of the abundance of content and information freely available across the internet. Even though the systems try to check documents for the plagiarism, there have been trials to overcome these system checks. In this paper, the concept of character injection is used to trick plagiarism checker is presented. It is also showcased that how does the similarity check algorithms based on k-grams fail to detect the character injection. In order to eradicate the problem or error in similarity rates caused due to the problem of character injection, image processing based approach of multiple histogram projections are used. An application is developed to detect the character injection in the document and produce the accurate similarity rate. The results are shown with some test documents and the proposed method eliminates any kind of character injected in the document that tricks plagiarism. The proposed method has addressed the problem of character injection with image processing based changes in the existing methods of document-similarity check algorithms using k-grams. The proposed method can detect 100% injected character be it any alphabet of any language, The processing time for conversion, histogram projections and applying winnowing algorithm takes 1.2 sec per page on average when experimented on multiple types of document varying in size from 2 KB to 10 MB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accuracy of pose estimation from feature-based Visual Odometry (VO) algorithms is affected by several factors such as lighting conditions and outliers in the matched features. In this paper, a generic image processing pipeline is proposed to enhance the accuracy and robustness of feature-based VO algorithms. The pipeline consists of three stages, each addressing a problem that affects the performance of VO algorithms. The first stage tackles the lighting condition problem, where a filter called Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) is applied to the images to overcome changes in lighting in the environment. The second stage uses the Suppression via Square Covering (SSC) algorithm to ensure the features are distributed properly over the images. The last stage proposes a novel outliers rejection approach called the Angle-based Outlier Rejection (AOR) algorithm to remove the outliers generated in the feature matching process. The proposed pipeline is generic and modular and can be integrated with any type of feature-based VO (monocular, RGB-D, or stereo). The efficiency of the proposed pipeline is validated using sequences from KITTI (for stereo VO) and TUM (for RGB-D VO) datasets, as well as experimental sequences using an omnidirectional mobile robot (for monocular VO). The obtained results showed the performance gained by enhancing the accuracy and robustness of the VO algorithms without compromising on the computational cost using the proposed pipeline. The results are substantially better as opposed to not using the pipeline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The automation transformation of container lifting operations is one of the main technical issues in Rail-Truck intermodal transportation. To solve this problem, this paper analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of several existing container positioning methods, and proposed a container corner holes location detection method based on lightweight convolutional neural network and adaptive morphological image processing algorithm. This method locates the container through a visual sensor that shoots from top to bottom. In order to improve the positioning accuracy and calculation speed while maintaining a high recognition rate, this method first uses a lightweight SSD detector to quickly detect the rough coordinates of the container corner hole in the image. On this basis, the smallest rectangle detection method based on adaptive HSV filtering is used to detect the precise coordinates of the corner hole in the image. Experiments show that the recognition rate of this algorithm in the initial positioning process reaches 94.2%, the recognition rate of secondary positioning reaches 87.4%, and the final positioning error is lower than 3.765 pixels and 2.81 pixels in the heading and lateral directions, respectively. The overall calculation time of the algorithm can realize the positioning calculation of 30 frames per second, which shows that this method takes into account the characteristics of high measurement accuracy and high calculation speed on the basis of high recognition rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a variable projection approach based on the BFGS (Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno) method for image reconstruction problems is proposed, which is an alternative to the common alternating minimisation scheme. The image restoration is expressed as a nonlinear least‐squares problem with reduced parameter space. To improve the efficiency of the algorithm, the BFGS method is proposed to be used to optimise the reduced objective function. The large‐scale problem considered in this paper is projected on to a small Krylov subspace using Lanczos bidiagonalisation. The regularisation parameter is selected by a weighted generalised cross validation criterion. Numerical examples demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-exposure image fusion (MEF) is an important area in computer vision and has attracted increasing interests in recent years. Apart from conventional algorithms, deep learning techniques have also been applied to MEF. However, although many efforts have been made on developing MEF algorithms, the lack of benchmarking studies makes it difficult to perform fair and comprehensive performance comparison among MEF algorithms, thus hindering the development of this field significantly. In this paper, we fill this gap by proposing a benchmark of multi-exposure image fusion (MEFB), which consists of a test set of 100 image pairs, a code library of 21 algorithms, 20 evaluation metrics, 2100 fused images, and a software toolkit. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first benchmarking study in the field of MEF. This paper also gives a literature review on MEF methods with a focus on deep learning-based algorithms. Extensive experiments have been conducted using MEFB for comprehensive performance evaluation and for identifying effective algorithms. We expect that MEFB will serve as an effective platform for researchers to compare the performance of MEF algorithms. • A literature review on multi-exposure image fusion is presented. • A multi-exposure image fusion benchmark is proposed. • The benchmark integrates a test set, algorithms, evaluation metrics, and a toolkit. • Comprehensive performance comparison is conducted and presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the problem that the traditional hyperspectral image classification method cannot effectively distinguish the boundary of objects with a single scale feature, which leads to low classification accuracy, this paper introduces the idea of guided filtering into hyperspectral image classification, and then proposes a multi-scale guided feature extraction and classification (MGFEC) algorithm for hyperspectral images. Firstly, the principal component analysis theory is used to reduce the dimension of hyperspectral image data. Then, guided filtering algorithm is used to achieve multi-scale spatial structure extraction of hyperspectral image by setting different sizes of filtering windows, so as to retain more edge details. Finally, the extracted multi-scale features are input into the support vector machine classifier for classification. Several practical hyperspectral image datasets were used to verify the experiment, and compared with other spectral feature extraction algorithms. The experimental results show that the multi-scale features extracted by the MGFEC algorithm proposed in this paper are more accurate than those extracted by only using spectral information, which leads to the improvement of the final classification accuracy. This fully shows that the proposed method is not only effective, but also suitable for processing different hyperspectral image data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As autonomous driving technology becomes more and more popular, its safety is also attracting attention. Regarding the automatic driving of vehicles, the detection of road markings is particularly important. This paper improves the lane edge detection part of the Hough transform lane line detection method. Because the traditional Canny operator edge detection method is good for image processing, but the detection time is long, this paper replaces the Canny algorithm with the Robert operator edge detection method. The sub-edge detection method can improve the detection speed of lane line extraction. In MATLAB, by using multiple edge detection operators to perform edge detection on the same image 100 times, and taking the average of the detection time, it is found that the Robert operator takes a shorter time in the detection process than the Canny operator; Then the Robert operator and Canny operator are respectively fused into the Hough transform lane line detection. After 100 times, the same image is detected, and the running time is statistically averaged for comparison and analysis. The Robert operator is better than the Canny operator. The time taken is reduced by 0.15191 s. The simulation results show that the integration of Robert operator in Hough transform lane line detection improves the real-time performance of lane detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incredible increase in the volume of remote sensing data has made the concept of Remote Sensing as Big Data reality with recent technological developments. Remote sensing image processing is characterized with features of massive data processing and intensive computation, which makes the processes difficult. To optimize the remote sensing image processing for GPU, compute unified device architecture (CUDA) is widely used to implement remote sensing algorithms. However, the usage of GPU in remote sensing image processing has been constrained by the complexity of its implementation and configuration. Therefore, how to take full advantage of the parallel organization of GPU architecture is awfully challenging. In this paper, a dynamic adaptive acceleration (DAA) method is proposed to determine calculation parameters of GPU adaptively and preprocess the input remote sensing images on host dynamically. By this method, we determine calculation parameters according to the hardware parameters of GPU firstly. And then, the input remote sensing images are reconstructed based on the calculation parameters. Finally, the preprocessed image blocks are arranged to stream tasks and executed on GPU respectively. The effectiveness of the proposed DAA method in accelerating remote sensing algorithm with point operations was verified by experiments in this paper, and the experimental results indicated that the DAA method can obtain better performance than traditional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the leaps and bounds of computer performance and the advent of the era of big data, deep learning has drawn more and more attention from all walks of life. It can combine low-level features to form more abstract high-level features and describe the data more essentially. Therefore, it is widely used in various fields such as computer vision. Image segmentation is one of the most basic research topics in the field of computer vision. The main purpose is to extract regions of interest from images for later image processing research. In 3D reconstruction based on sequence images, the segmentation accuracy and speed of sequence images determine the quality and efficiency of target reconstruction. Therefore, when facing large-scale sequence images, the biggest problem is how to improve the segmentation speed while ensuring accuracy. Based on the above background, the research content of this article is an indoor scene segmentation algorithm based on full convolutional neural network. According to the characteristics of indoor application scenes, this paper proposes a fast convolutional neural network image segmentation method to segment the indoor scene image and construct the fast fully convolutional networks (FFCN) for indoor scene image segmentation uses inter-layer fusion to reduce the amount of network calculation parameters and avoid the loss of picture feature information by continuous convolution. In order to verify the effectiveness of the network, in this paper, a basic living object data set (XAUT data set) in an indoor environment is created. The XAUT data set is used to train the FFCN network under the Caffe framework to obtain an indoor scene segmentation model. In order to compare the effectiveness of the model, the structure of the worn FCN8s, FCN16s, and FCN32s models was fine-tuned, and the corresponding algorithm model for indoor scene segmentation was obtained by training with the XAUT data set. The experimental results show that the pixel recognition accuracy of all types of networks has reached 86%, and the mean IU ratio has reached more than 63%. The mean IU of the FCN8s network is the highest at 70.38%, but its segmentation speed is only 1/5 of FFCN. On the premise that other types of indicators are not much different, the average segmentation speed on FFCN fast segmentation convolutional neural network reaches 40 fps. It can be seen that the scale fusion technology can well avoid the loss of image feature information in the network convolution and reddening process. Compared with other FCN networks, it has a faster speed and is conducive to real-time image preprocessing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the reconstruction problem of video snapshot compressive imaging (SCI), which captures high-speed videos using a low-speed 2D sensor (detector). The underlying principle of SCI is to modulate sequential high-speed frames with different masks and then these encoded frames are integrated into a snapshot on the sensor and thus the sensor can be of low-speed. On one hand, video SCI enjoys the advantages of low-bandwidth, low-power and low-cost. On the other hand, applying SCI to large-scale problems (HD or UHD videos) in our daily life is still challenging and one of the bottlenecks lies in the reconstruction algorithm. Existing algorithms are either too slow (iterative optimization algorithms) or not flexible to the encoding process (deep learning based end-to-end networks). In this paper, we develop fast and flexible algorithms for SCI based on the plug-and-play (PnP) framework. In addition to the PnP-ADMM method, we further propose the PnP-GAP (generalized alternating projection) algorithm with a lower computational workload. We first employ the image deep denoising priors to show that PnP can recover a UHD color video with 30 frames from a snapshot measurement. Since videos have strong temporal correlation, by employing the video deep denoising priors, we achieve a significant improvement in the results. Furthermore, we extend the proposed PnP algorithms to the color SCI system using mosaic sensors, where each pixel only captures the red, green or blue channels. A joint reconstruction and demosaicing paradigm is developed for flexible and high quality reconstruction of color video SCI systems. Extensive results on both simulation and real datasets verify the superiority of our proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The difference and complementarity of spatial and spectral information between multispectral (MS) image and panchromatic (PAN) image have laid the foundation for the fusion of the two types of images. In recent years, MS and PAN image fusion (also known as MS-Pansharpening) has gained attention as an important research area in remote sensing (RS) image processing. This paper proposes an MS-Pansharpening algorithm based on dual constraint Guided Filtering in the nonsubsampled shearlet transform (NSST) domain. The innovation is threefold. First, the dual constraint guided image filtering (DCGIF) model, based on spatial region average gradient correlation and vector correlation formed by neighborhood elements is proposed. Further, the PAN image detail information extraction scheme, based on the model, is provided, which extracts more complete and accurate detail information, thus avoiding, to some extent, the spectral distortion caused by the injection of non-adaptive information. Second, the weighted information injection model, based on the preservation of the correlation between the band spectra, is proposed. The model determines the information injection weight of each band pixel based on the spectral proportion between bands of the original MS image, which ensures the spectral correlation between bands of the fused MS image. Finally, a new MS-Pansharpening algorithm in NSST domain is proposed. The MS and PAN high frequency sub-bands of NSST are used to extract more effective spatial details. Then the proposed DCGIF model is used to extract the effective spatial detail injection information through the weighted joint method based on the regional energy matrix. Finally, the weighted information injection model is used to inject it into each band of MS to complete information fusion. Experimental results show that the proposed approach has better fusion effect than some conventional MS-Pansharpening algorithms, which can effectively improve the spatial resolution of the fused MS image and maintain the spectral characteristics of MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goals of the following paper are to evaluate the performance of two multispectral airborne sensors and compare their image data with in situ spectral measurements. Moreover, the authors aim to present an enhanced workflow for processing multitemporal image data using both commercial and open-source solutions. The research was provoked by the need for a relevant comparison between airborne and ground sensors for vegetation analysis and monitoring. The research team used an eBee fixed-wing platform and the multiSPEC 4c and Sequoia sensors. The authors carried out field measurements using a handheld spectrometer by Trimble—GreenSeeker. There were two flight campaigns which took place near the village of Tuhan in the Czech Republic. The results from the first campaign were discouraging, showing less possibility in the correlation between the aerial and field data. The second campaign resulted in a very high percentage of correlation between both types of data. The researchers present the image processing steps and their enhanced photogrammetric workflow for multitemporal data which helps experts and nonprofessionals to reduce their processing time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A common type problem of optimization is to find simultaneously n$$ n $$ parameters that globally minimize an objective function of n$$ n $$ variables. Such problems are seen in signal and image processing and in various applications of mathematical analysis of several complex variables and Clifford algebras. Objective functions are usually assumed to be Lipschitzian with maybe unknown Lipschitz constants. A number of methods have been established to discard the sets called "bad sets" in a partition that is impossible to contain any optimal point, as well as to treat the unknown Lipschitz bound problem along with the algorithm. In the present paper, a simple criterion of eliminating bad sets is proposed for the first time. The elimination method leads to a concise and rigorous proof of convergence. The algorithm, on the range space side, converges to the global minimum with an exponential rate, while on the domain space side, converges with equal accuracy to the set of all the global minimizers. To treat the unknown Lipschitz constant dilemma, we propose a practical pseudo‐Lipshitz bound process. The methodology is of fundamental nature with straightforward mathematical formulation applicable to multivariate objective functions defined on any compactly connected manifolds in higher dimensions. The method is tested against an extensive number of benchmark functions in the literature. The experimental results exhibit considerable effectiveness and applicability of the algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantum image segmentation algorithm is to divide a quantum image into several parts, but most of the existing algorithms use more quantum resource(qubit) or cannot process the complex image. In this paper, an improved two-threshold quantum segmentation algorithm for NEQR image is proposed, which can segment the complex gray-scale image into a clear ternary image by using fewer qubits and can be scaled to use n thresholds for n + 1 segmentations. In addition, a feasible quantum comparator is designed to distinguish the gray-scale values with two thresholds, and then a scalable quantum circuit is designed to segment the NEQR image. For a 2 n × 2 n image with q gray-scale levels, the quantum cost of our algorithm can be reduced to 60 q - 6 , which is lower than other existing quantum algorithms and does not increase with the image's size increases. The experiment on IBM Q demonstrates that our algorithm can effectively segment the image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of two-dimensional images enables the detection of structures, objects and their further classification. In the Internet of Things, images are data obtained from cameras or projections of signals. In this paper, we propose a hybridization of the classic RANSAC approach with a selected heuristic algorithm like Grey Wolf Optimizer. This solution allows for increasing the ability to adjust images by analyzing the detected key points of the image. Such hybridization is interesting in terms of the possibility of obtaining stitching accuracy. Moreover, we have introduced the automation of parameter selection to increase the accuracy and speed of the real-time algorithm. For this purpose, an analysis of the results of the algorithm for combining video frames into one large image allowed for a significant reduction in the amount of data processing time. The proposed algorithm was tested on various heuristic algorithms, where their differences and impact on the operation of the method were indicated and discussed. Moreover, the proposition was tested in practical application by automatically creating an image based on video frames recorded by the drone. • Hybridization of RANSAC with a heuristic solution for image stitching purposes. • A method of automating the selection of parameters in the algorithm. • Framework for minimizing the number of calculations in smart devices. • Practical application of the proposed method in IoT solution using a drone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students' classroom behavior recognition and emotion recognition effects directly determine the degree of teachers' control of the classroom teaching process. At present, teachers and students belong to two groups in traditional teaching, and teachers cannot effectively mobilize students' learning emotions. In order to improve the teaching effect, this paper combines the PSO algorithm and the KNN algorithm to obtain the PSO-KNN joint algorithm, and combines with the emotional image processing algorithm to construct an artificial intelligence-based classroom student behavior recognition model. Moreover, based on the image processing technology, this paper uses key frame detection for feature recognition, and this paper improves the recognition process based on the inter-frame similarity measurement algorithm and initial cluster center selection in the key frame extraction method of clustering. In addition, this paper analyzes the effect of the model constructed on the behavior recognition and emotion recognition of students. The research results show that the joint algorithm constructed in this paper has a high accuracy rate for students' emotion recognition and behavior recognition, and can meet the actual teaching needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes, a novel hybrid color component (HCC) issued from amounts number of color space with iterative manner, in fact traditional images obtained by RGB sensor weren't the effective way in image processing applications, for this purpose we have propose a supervised algorithm to substitute RGB level by hybrid and suitable color space at the aim to make well representation of the handled amounts of data, this step is extremely important because the obtained results it will be injected in many future studies like tracking, classification, steganography and cryptography. The second part of this paper consists to segment image coded in hybrid color space already selected, the used algorithm is inspired from kernel function where statistical distribution was used to model background and Bayes rule to make decision of the membership of each pixel, in this research topics we have extended this algorithm in the aim to improve compactness of these distribution. Cauchy background modeling and subtraction is used, and shows the high accuracy of automatic player detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classical image segmentation algorithm based on local adaptive threshold can effectively segment images with uneven illumination, but with the increase of the image data, the real-time problem gradually emerges. In this paper, a quantum segmentation algorithm based on local adaptive threshold for NEQR image is proposed, which can use quantum mechanism to simultaneously compute local thresholds for all pixels in a gray-scale image and quickly segment the image into a binary image. In addition, several quantum circuit units, including median calculation, quantum binarization, etc. are designed in detail, and then a complete quantum circuit is designed to segment NEQR images by using fewer qubits and quantum gates. For a 2 n × 2 n image with q gray-scale levels, the complexity of our algorithm can be reduced to O (n 2 + q) , which is an exponential speedup compared to the classic counterparts. Finally, the experiment is conducted on IBM Q to show the feasibility of our algorithm in the noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compressive covariance estimation has arisen as a class of techniques whose aim is to obtain second-order statistics of stochastic processes from compressive measurements. Recently, these methods have been used in various image processing and communications applications, including denoising, spectrum sensing, and compression. Notice that estimating the covariance matrix from compressive samples leads to ill-posed minimizations with severe performance loss at high compression rates. In this regard, a regularization term is typically aggregated to the cost function to consider prior information about a particular property of the covariance matrix. Hence, this paper proposes an algorithm based on the projected gradient method to recover low-rank or Toeplitz approximations of the covariance matrix from compressive measurements. The proposed algorithm divides the compressive measurements into data subsets projected onto different subspaces and accurately estimates the covariance matrix by solving a single optimization problem assuming that each data subset contains an approximation of the signal statistics. Furthermore, gradient filtering is included at every iteration of the proposed algorithm to minimize the estimation error. The error induced by the proposed splitting approach is analytically derived along with the convergence guarantees of the proposed method. The proposed algorithm estimates the covariance matrix of hyperspectral images from synthetic and real compressive samples. Extensive simulations show that the proposed algorithm can effectively recover the covariance matrix of hyperspectral images from compressive measurements with high compression ratios ($8-15\%$ approx) in noisy scenarios. Moreover, simulations and theoretical results show that the filtering step reduces the recovery error up to twice the number of eigenvectors. Finally, an optical implementation is proposed, and real measurements are used to validate the theoretical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a real-time scoring algorithm for steel dartboards, by using five (configurable) low-cost cameras that are positioned parallel to the baseline (surface) of the dartboard. In order to achieve that, firstly the cameras are placed at suggested places. Then, their central focus is configured to look at the center of the dartboard. Subsequently, the dartboard is calibrated and thresholds are adjusted for each camera respectively. After this step, the software runs and processes in real-time, detecting the darts with high precision as they are thrown. The algorithm is a daemon process, requiring high processing power. We detect parts that require long processing times by profiling the algorithm. Using techniques of parallel-programming, important parts of the algorithm are adjusted to run in parallel, in order to achieve a real-time effect. In our experiments, our algorithm achieved a detection accuracy rate of 99.63%, by using five low-cost cameras having an 85 degree horizontal field of view (HFOV). Simultaneously, each throw is detected in less than 600 ms, giving the real-time effect to players. This algorithm is tested with a variety of professional steel dartboards, and dart arrows of different materials (tungsten, steel etc.). The obtained outcomes indicate the robustness of the proposed algorithm, producing promising results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advancement of computer performance, deep learning is playing a vital role on hardware platforms. Indoor scene segmentation is a challenging deep learning task because indoor objects tend to obscure each other, and the dense layout increases the difficulty of segmentation. Still, current networks pursue accuracy improvement, sacrifice speed, and augment memory resource usage. To solve this problem, achieve a compromise between accuracy, speed, and model size. This paper proposes Multichannel Fusion Network (MFNet) for indoor scene segmentation, which mainly consists of Dense Residual Module(DRM) and Multi-scale Feature Extraction Module(MFEM). MFEM uses depthwise separable convolution to cut the number of parameters, matches different sizes of convolution kernels and dilation rates to achieve optimal receptive field; DRM fuses feature maps at several levels of resolution to optimize segmentation details. Experimental results on the NYU V2 dataset show that the proposed method achieves very competitive results compared with other advanced algorithms, with a segmentation speed of 38.47 fps, nearly twice that of Deeplab v3+, but only 1/5 of the number of parameters of Deeplab v3 +. Its segmentation results were close to those of advanced segmentation networks, making it beneficial for the real-time processing of images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reasonably reduce the energy consumption of automotive LCD instrument and improve the display quality, a new local dimming algorithm is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the gray image of the input image is obtained by using the maximum principle, and then, the LED backlight brightness value is obtained by using Otsu method and maximum entropy method. The BMA backlight smoothing algorithm is improved by combining bilinear interpolation algorithm, and the dimming image is obtained by using pixel compensation algorithm based on logarithm. Then, for low brightness images, high brightness images, low contrast images, and high contrast images, typical algorithms are used to simulate and compare, and the image processing effects of various local dimming algorithms are analyzed. Finally, the entropy weight method is used to objectively evaluate the local dimming algorithm. The results show that the new local dimming algorithm reduces the energy consumption and improves the display quality, which verifies the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonconvex and nonsmooth optimization problem has been attracting increasing attention in recent years in image processing and machine learning research. The algorithm-based reweighted step has been widely used in many applications. In this paper, we propose a new, extended version of the iterative convex majorization–minimization method (ICMM) for solving a nonconvex and nonsmooth minimization problem, which involves famous iterative reweighted methods. To prove the convergence of the proposed algorithm, we adopt the general unified framework based on the Kurdyka–Łojasiewicz inequality. Numerical experiments validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm compared to the existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "fast iterative shrinkage-thresholding algorithm,"" a.k.a. FISTA, is one of the most well known first-order optimization scheme in the literature, as it achieves the worst-case O(1/k2) optimal convergence rate for objective function value. However, despite such an optimal theoretical convergence rate, in practice the (local) oscillatory behavior of FISTA often damps its efficiency. Over the past years, various efforts have been made in the literature to improve the practical performance of FISTA, such as monotone FISTA, restarting FISTA, and backtracking strategies. In this paper, we propose a simple yet effective modification to the original FISTA scheme which has two advantages: It allows us to (1) prove the convergence of generated sequence and (2) design a so-called lazy-start strategy which can be up to an order faster than the original scheme. Moreover, we propose novel adaptive and greedy strategies which further improve the practical performance. The advantages of the proposed schemes are tested through problems arising from inverse problems, machine learning, and signal/image processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper introduces an essentially new algorithm for calculating the GNSS position as an alternative to the least-square method. The proposed approach can be widely applied to any positioning method that uses multiple position lines for position calculation and is an example of how using a numerical solution can improve position accuracy without access to historical data. In essence, the method is based on the adaptation of the median filtering method widely used in the field of image processing, while at the same time applying a combinatorial approach and order statistics. The proposed solution makes it possible to improve on and assess the credibility of a single measurement. The article highlights the differences between the proposed and currently used approaches, as well as their advantages and disadvantages. The algorithm has been extensively tested under various environmental and weather conditions. The tests were carried out in typical and also in very demanding conditions, thus taking into account the real application context, i.e., pedestrian and car navigation in densely urbanized areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In day-to-day life there is a rapid increase in data exfiltration enabled by digital attacks, Covert Timing Channels (CTC) became an inevitable organisation potential threat that evolves over time in both refinement and applications. These channels use the interval between appearance to collect sensitive data from the authorised networks. CTC detection is increasingly reliant on AI algorithms that use factually based measures to distinguish malicious (undercover) traffic flows from legitimate (obvious) traffic streams. An innovative picturebased solution for entirely computerised CTC identification and limiting is proposed in this paper. This approach is based on the assumption that incognito channels generate traffic that can be converted to shaded images. The solution is designed to intuitively identify and locate the harmful part (i.e., a set of parcels) inside a traffic flow with the help of this perspective. This methodology reduces the loss of nature of administration caused by obstructing the entire traffic streams in which secretive channels are identified by locating undercover parts within traffic streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The two change detection algorithms proposed in this paper use KFCM gradient clustering algorithm. • KFCM algorithm is a classic clustering algorithm in unsupervised clustering, which can effectively cluster most of the data. • We will study how to use the special features of the image to complete the clustering of the difference maps. In recent years, computer vision, especially deep learning, has been widely used in various fields. Through the deep learning aerial image detection gradient clustering algorithm automatic recognition, it can solve the limitations of manual shooting by humans, can shoot from a high altitude to a panoramic view of a specific area, and provide a more comprehensive solution. The traditional forest resource management and management work is mainly carried out by forestry personnel to carry out a large number of investigations and investigations on the forest. This method not only consumes a lot of manpower and material resources, but also does not have real-time nature. It is difficult to deal with all kinds of forest management. Problems, causing unnecessary losses. In this regard, this paper proposes an aerial image change detection algorithm based on H-KFCM, and designs related experiments to verify and demonstrate the performance of the algorithm. In this paper, we conduct a parallel study based on deep learning on the gradient clustering algorithm of deep learning in aerial image processing. By using CUDA (Compute Unified Device Architecture) to perform large-scale parallel processing of aerial data. Can greatly shorten the time to obtain results, improve the efficiency of relevant personnel. Experiment analysis. It can be seen from the results that the deep learning parallelization program implemented in this paper has a faster calculation speed and uses less time in high-resolution images, and has a good acceleration ratio compared to the CPU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various quantum computing simulation platforms have developed rapidly in the last 3 years. However, few quantum image processing algorithms are simulated in these platforms. In this paper, we design a dual-threshold quantum image segmentation algorithm and simulate it in IBM Q Experience platform through Qiskit extension. The NEQR quantum image representation model is firstly optimized and simulated, which is found that the number of the auxiliary qubits will not increase as the image's size increases. Then, an efficient quantum comparator to realize the comparison of two numbers is designed. And finally, the high parallelism image segmentation algorithm is proposed and simulated. Suppose the size of an image is 2 n × 2 n and the gray-scale scope is [0, 2 q - 1 ], the time complexity analysis for the quantum image segmentation algorithm shows that the number of basic quantum gate required is proportional to q and will not increase as image's size increases. Thus, the proposed quantum segmentation algorithm is highly parallelism and has polynomial time complexity. In addition, the simulation part of this paper will provide reference for other quantum image processing algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the problem that the stem nodes are difficult to identify in the process of sugarcane seed automatic cutting, a method of identifying the stem nodes of sugarcane based on the extreme points of vertical projection function is proposed in this paper. Firstly, in order to reduce the influence of light on image processing, the RGB color image is converted to HSI color image, and the S component image of the HSI color space is extracted as a research object. Then, the S component image is binarized by the Otsu method, the hole of the binary image is filled by morphology closing algorithm, and the sugarcane and the background are initially separated by the horizontal projection map of the binary image. Finally, the position of sugarcane stem is preliminarily determined by continuously taking the derivative of the vertical projection function of the binary image, and the sum of the local pixel value of the suspicious pixel column is compared to further determine the sugarcane stem node. The experimental results showed that the recognition rate of single stem node is 100%, and the standard deviation is less than 1.1 mm. The accuracy of simultaneous identification of double stem nodes is 98%, and the standard deviation is less than 1.7 mm. The accuracy of simultaneous identification of the three stem nodes is 95%, and the standard deviation is less than 2.2 mm. Compared with the other methods introduced in this paper, the proposed method has higher recognition and accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dragonfly algorithm (DA) is a novel swarm intelligence meta-heuristic optimization algorithm inspired by the dynamic and static swarming behaviors of artificial dragonflies in nature. It has proved its effectiveness and superiority compared to several well-known meta-heuristics available in the literature. This paper presents a comprehensive review of DA and its new variants classified into modified and hybrid versions. It also describes the main diverse applications of DA in several fields and areas such as machine learning, neural network, image processing, robotics, and engineering. Finally, the paper suggests some possible interesting research on the applications and hybridizations of DA for future works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of video and image segmentation is carried out from the aspects of improving the accuracy of segmentation and reducing the calculation time, but the segmentation result is affected by the initial curve position, so this paper proposes a new method. As an important part of the Internet, pictures are usually used to help visitors understand. The image contains a lot of deep-level video information, which is an important basis for video content retrieval and data analysis. In this paper, combining the texture and edge features of the image in the process of text location, a multi-scale Gabor filter bank is proposed to transform the original image, and a priori knowledge of the text region is used to process the non-text object in the transform result. In the part of extracting text from pictures, and improved TF-IDF algorithm, BC-TF-IDF algorithm, is proposed to extract text from pictures. To ensure the integrity of the extracted image, the Sobel algorithm is used to process the image in the edge extraction step. Finally, the above method is applied to the Weibo network, and a system of collecting and recognizing the character content of the Weibo image is set up, which completes the function of collecting and gradually recognizing the Weibo image, and verifies the proposed localization method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, moving object detection in sequence images has become a hot topic in computer vision research, and has a very wide range of practical applications in many fields of military and daily life. In this paper, fast detection of moving objects in complex background is studied, and fast detection methods for moving objects in static and dynamic scenes are proposed respectively. Firstly, based on image preprocessing, aiming at the difficulty of feature extraction of moving targets in low illumination at night, Gamma change is used to process. Secondly, for the fast detection of moving objects in static scenes, this paper designs a detection method combining background difference and edge frame difference. Finally, aiming at the fast detection of moving objects in dynamic scenes, a feature matching detection method based on the SIFT algorithm is designed in this paper. Simulation experiments show that the method designed in this paper has good detection performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a reversible image watermarking (RIW) method including an adaptive feedback part based on difference expansion (DE). With respect to some parameters of the image, peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR), the highest payload capacity and the corresponding embedding threshold are spontaneously calculated by using the proposed adaptive feedback-based reversible Image watermarking (AFRIW). The payload capacity for data embedding is briefly explained. The machinery part of the adaptive feedback for controlling the payload capacity is presented. Software verification of three cover images is presented. Based on some image parameters, the comparative result between the proposed AFRIW algorithm and DE-based RIW method is presented. This paper also presents the VLSI architecture of this proposed algorithm for RIW. The proposed architecture has been implemented using VIVADO 2016.2 based on Xilinx Virtex-7 FPGA and Zynq device platforms. The software implementation results clearly demonstrated that the AFRIW method provides higher PSNR than the DE-based RIW method. The hardware implementation results indicate that the proposed algorithm has low timing complexity over other existing feedback based RIW algorithms which in turn provide higher speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The operation of drones in cluttered environments like forests and hilly areas is extremely difficult; it is impossible to use drones autonomously without having built-in information to detect and avoid obstacles. The vision based obstacle avoidance algorithm is presented in this paper, with extensions to UAV navigation. The proposed method is incorporated on a stereo vison multi copter using a block matching algorithm. The stereo vision baseline is based on horizontal configuration and computes the depth using a sum of absolute difference algorithm. The image processing node (LabVIEW vi) and the controller node are run on a remote laptop. This vi computes the distance between the multirotor and an obstacle and transmits depth data to an onboard flight controller through the MAVLink protocol. The algorithm efficiency was tested using the software in the loop on Gazebo simulator to analyze the performance of the UAV. The hardware in loop results are also shown in this paper after the successful flight test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to satisfy the requirement of precise pin-point landing mission in Mars exploration, this paper proposes an innovative visual navigation algorithm based on feature lines extraction and matching to estimate the attitude and position of the lander during descent phase. Currently, common navigation landmarks are feature points and craters. But, the number of feature points extracted from landing image is so large that the image process is complex and time-consuming, and they do not usually have absolute coordinate information to absolute navigation. Meanwhile, crater is matched difficultly. Hence, ridges, fissures and other surface textures similar to lines are most common visual features of Mars and can be used as navigation landmarks for visual absolute and relative navigation. Firstly, that feature lines matching based on the EDLine algorithm remains invariant to scaling, rotation, and illumination, etc. provides the basis for visual navigation by using feature line. Secondly, feature lines selected as navigation landmarks can be used to absolute navigation and relative navigation respectively, which can implement integrated navigation. In this paper, a novel integrated visual navigation has been designed to finish the precise pin-point landing and overcome the accumulated errors of relative navigation and the limited application range of absolute navigation. Experimental simulation results show that the integrated navigation algorithm solves the limitation of single navigation mode and improves the effectiveness and stability of the algorithm. • A navigation algorithm using feature line for pinpoint landing is proposed. • The lander's absolute and relative pose are estimated during descent phase. • Integrated navigation overcomes the limitation of single navigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detection and tracking of athletes in sports videos is of great importance, as it helps to automate the analysis of sports videos, thus providing advanced tools and instruments for sports training. The Cam Shift algorithm uses the colour information of objects to achieve tracking of moving targets, so it is very important to choose a suitable colour space when obtaining the colour information of objects. To this end, this paper improves the Cam Shift algorithm by converting the visual system mechanism to perceive the colour characteristics of the image processing, i.e., converting the video image from the RGB colour space to the HSV colour space, using the H (hue) component to model the target object. Experiments show that the improved athlete detection and tracking algorithm is more robust in practical applications. The improved tracking algorithm also has better real-time performance, with a processing speed of 20 fps during the experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tephra plumes from explosive volcanic eruptions can be hazardous for the lives and livelihoods of people living in the proximity of volcanoes. Monitoring and forecasting tephra plumes play essential roles in the detection, characterization and hazard assessment of explosive volcanic events. However, advanced monitoring instruments, e.g., thermal cameras, can be expensive and are not always available in monitoring networks. Conversely, visible-wavelength cameras are significantly cheaper and much more widely available. This paper proposes an innovative approach to the detection and parametrization of tephra plumes, utilizing videos recorded in the visible wavelengths. Specifically, we have developed an algorithm with the objectives of: (i) identifying and isolating plume-containing pixels through image processing techniques; (ii) extracting the main geometrical parameters of the eruptive column, such as the height and width, as functions of time; and (iii) determining quantitative information related to the plume motion (e.g., the rise velocity and acceleration) using the physical quantities obtained through the first-order analysis. The resulting MATLAB-based software, named Plume Tracking and Parametrization (PlumeTraP), semi-automatically tracks the plume and is also capable of automatically calculating the associated geometric parameters. Through application of the algorithm to the case study of Vulcanian explosions from Sabancaya volcano (Peru), we verify that the eruptive column boundaries are well recognized, and that the calculated parameters are reliable. The developed software can be of significant use to the wider volcanological community, enabling research into the dynamics of explosive volcanic eruptions, as well as potentially improving the use of visible-wavelength cameras as part of the monitoring networks of active volcanoes. Furthermore, PlumeTraP could potentially find a broader application for the analysis of any other plume-shaped natural or anthropogenic phenomena in visible wavelengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Point cloud upsampling algorithms can improve the resolution of point clouds and generate dense and uniform point clouds, and are an important image processing technology. Significant progress has been made in point cloud upsampling research in recent years. This paper provides a comprehensive survey of point cloud upsampling algorithms. We classify existing point cloud upsampling algorithms into optimization-based methods and deep learning-based methods, and analyze the advantages and limitations of different algorithms from a modular perspective. In addition, we cover some other important issues such as public datasets and performance evaluation metrics. Finally, we conclude this survey by highlighting several future research directions and open issues that should be further addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many video and image processing applications, the frames are partitioned into blocks, which are extracted and processed sequentially. In this paper, we propose a fast algorithm for calculation of features of overlapping image blocks. We assume the features are projections of the block on separable 2D basis functions (usually orthogonal polynomials) where we benefit from the symmetry with respect to spatial variables. The main idea is based on a construction of auxiliary matrices that virtually extends the original image and makes it possible to avoid a time-consuming computation in loops. These matrices can be pre-calculated, stored and used repeatedly since they are independent of the image itself. We validated experimentally that the speed up of the proposed method compared with traditional approaches approximately reaches up to 20 times depending on the block parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image compression is one of the most important branches of digital image processing as it is concerned with reducing the size of the captured images to save the space allocated to them on the storage drive and facilitate the process of transferring and sending them. In this paper, we present a new method for compressing digital images depending on two algorithms: the Ant Lion Optimization and the Firefly. The performance of the suggested algorithms is evaluated using the compression ratio; i.e., Ratio of bits before and after compression, (PSNR); i.e., the extent to which the restored image is similar to the original image, and the standard for average squared errors (MSE), meaning the amount of error in the recovered image, where the lowest value of image compression ratio with the highest value for image quality should be obtained with the lowest value of errors. A comparison was made between both methods in order to determine the best of them in conducting the pressure process through the results that will be reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search range and search position of the particle are closely related to the shrinkage-expansion factor of the particle and the value of the center of the potential well. As the number of iterations increases, its search will gradually fall near the center of the potential well, and the search range will gradually decrease. Therefore, when the center of the potential well and the search range gradually approach the global optimum, the final result of the algorithm can be guaranteed to be the global optimum. Therefore, we need to optimize the shrinkage-expansion factor and the potential well center, improve the individual development ability of the group in the later stage of the algorithm and the expansion ability of the group, so that the potential well center is easier to fall near the global optimal point. Based on the chaotic strategy, a particle swarm initialization method is proposed. Using the unique ergodicity of the chaotic system, the method can make the particles spread well in the solution space of the search problem. Based on the antecedent normal cloud model, an adaptive method for determining control parameters and the center of the potential well is proposed. Based on the consequent normal cloud model, a particle adaptive mutation method is proposed. The comprehensive application of these improvement measures to the improved QPSO effectively improves the performance of the original algorithm. In this paper, the principle and method of multioptical axis parallelism measurement are studied. Based on the hardware equipment of the parallelism measurement system based on the large-diameter off-axis parabolic mirror collimator, the measurement accuracy and automation of the system are improved through image processing technology. The degree and anti-interference ability of the system are analyzed in detail. According to the characteristics of the system, an optimized focus evaluation function and a center positioning algorithm are proposed to improve the measurement speed and accuracy of the system. Through the improvement of the system DCT focus evaluation coefficient method and the optimization of the least squares ellipse fitting process, the measurement accuracy and anti-interference ability of the system are improved, the calculation time is shortened, and the real-time performance and automation of the system are enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents preliminary results on the assessment of algorithms used in image processing of the grain damage degree. The purpose of the work is developing a tool allowing to analyse sample cross-sections of rye germs. The analysis of the grain cross-sections was carried out on the basis of a series their photos taken at equal time intervals at a set depth. The cross-sections will be used to create additional virtual cross-sections allowing to analyse the whole sample volume. The ultimate plan is to generate two cross-sections perpendicular to each other. Based on volumetric data read from the sample section, a three-dimensional model of an object will be generated. The analysis of model surface will allowed us to detect possible grain damage. The developed method of preparing the research material and the proprietary application allowed for the identification of internal defects in the biological material (cereal grains). The presented methodology may be used in the agri-food industry in the future. However, much research remains to be done. These works should primarily aim at significantly reducing the time-consuming nature of individual stages, as well as improving the quality of the reconstructed image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The method based on machine vision image processing is used to detect the surface defects of Si 3 N 4 bearing roller. Owing to the variety of defects, small area and low contrast, it is easy to miss or error detection. In this paper, an adaptive update template defect enhancement algorithm based on Gaussian model is proposed. First, a large number of surface images of Si 3 N 4 bearing roller are collected to obtain the non-defect background statistical feature, and the background characteristic curve is fitted by Gaussian model. Further, the initial background template is gained according to the Gaussian curve. Then, combined with the gray distribute of defect images and initial background template, unique adaptive update template can be established. Finally, subtraction operation and nonlinear enhancement are used to improve the comparison of defect information and background. Through inverse sorting, adaptive threshold segmentation and Canny operation, the precise positioning of defects is realized. The enhancement algorithm can effectively enhance the contrast and eliminate the influence of noise. The average detection time is 0.84s, and the detection accuracy is 96.2%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The image processing usually depends on exploring the structure and the geometric information of the tensor objects generated by image data. In the process, the decomposition of the tensor objects is very significant for the dimension reduction and the low-rank representation of image data. In this paper, based on the triple decomposition of third-order tensors and the correlation between different nonnegative tensor objects, a nonnegative triple decomposition model with manifold regularization terms is constructed. Then, an algorithm for the manifold regularization nonnegative triple decomposition is proposed, and the convergence of the algorithm is discussed. Furthermore, experiments on some real-world image data sets are given to illustrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Image segmentation is considered an important step in image processing. Fuzzy c-means clustering is one of the common methods of image segmentation. However, this method suffers from drawbacks, such as sensitivity to initial values, entrapment in local optima, and the inability to distinguish objects with similar color intensity. This paper proposes the hybrid Fuzzy c-means clustering and Gray wolf optimization for image segmentation to overcome the shortcomings of Fuzzy c-means clustering. The Gray wolf optimization has a high exploration capability in finding the best solution to the problem, which prevents the entrapment of the algorithm in local optima. In this study, breast cytology images were used to validate the methods, and the results of the proposed method were compared to those of c-means clustering. Results: FCMGWO has performed better than FCM in separating the nucleus from the other dark objects in the cell. The clustering was validated using Vpc, Vpe, Davies-Bouldin, and Calinski Harabasz criteria. The FCM and FCMGWO methods have a significant difference with respect to the Vpc and Vpe indexes. However, there is no significant difference between the performances of the two clustering methods with respect to the Calinski-Harabasz and Davies-Bouldin indices. The results indicate the better efficacy of the proposed method. Conclusions: The hybrid FCMGWO algorithm distinguishes the cells better in images with less detail than in images with high detail. However, FCM exhibits unacceptable performance in both low- and high-detail images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]