Genetic Algorithm Approach for Image Fusion: A Simple Method and Block Method

Abstract

The sensors available nowadays are not generating images of all objects in a scene with the same clarity at various distances. The progress in sensor technology improved the quality of images over recent years. However, the target data generated by a single image is limited. For merging information from multiple input images, image fusion is used. The basis of image fusion is on the image acquisition as well as on the level of processing and under this many image fusion techniques are available. Several input image acquisition techniques are available such as multisensor, multifocus, and multitemporal. Also, image fusion is performed in four different stages. These levels are the level of the signal, pixel level, level of feature, and level of decision-making. Further, the fusion methods are divided into two domains i.e spatial and frequency domains. The fusion in spatial domain images uses inputs directly to work on pixels, while the transition refers to frequency domain image fusion on input images before fusion. The limitation of spatial domain image fusion is spectral degradation. To overcome this limitation, the fusion of transform domain images is preferred which uses several transforms. The results generated by transform methods are superior to spatial domain methods. But there is a scope to improve the results or to find the optimized results. Optimization can be achieved by using evolutionary approaches. The evolutionary computation approach is an effective way of finding the required solution for a complex problem. An evolutionary algorithm is a guided random search used for optimization. The biological model of evolution and natural selection inspires it. The different types of evolutionary computing algorithms include Genetic algorithm, Genetic Programming, Evolutionary programming, Learning Classifier System, Ant Colony Optimization, Artificial Bee Colony Optimization, Particle Swarm Optimization, Evolution strategy, Swarm intelligence, Tabu Search, Cuckoo Search, etc. Three genetic algorithm-based image fusion techniques are proposed: a genetic algorithm with one population, a genetic algorithm with separate populations, and a block method. In the block method, an array of numbers in one chromosome is generated. The result obtained by the proposed techniques are compared with existing methods and observed that the results are improved. The graphical representation of performance parameters reflects that the block method is better.