Image enhancement using smoothing with fuzzy sets

Abstract

A model for grey-tone image enhancement using the concept of fuzzy sets is suggested. It involves primary enhancement, smoothing, and then final enhancement. The algorithm for both the primary and final enhancements includes the extraction of fuzzy properties corresponding to pixels and then successive applications of the fuzzy operator "contrast intensifier" on the property plane. The three different smoothing techniques considered in the experiment are defocussing, averaging, and maxmin rule over the neighbors of a pixel. The reduction of the "index of fuzziness" and "entropy" for different enhanced outputs (corresponding to different values of fuzzifiers) is demonstrated for an English script input. Enhanced output as obtained by histogram modification technique is also presented for comparison.