Discrete wavelet transform based image fusion using unsharp masking

Abstract

Nowadays the result of infrared and visible image fusion has been utilized in significant applications like military, surveillance, remote sensing and medical imaging applications. Discrete wavelet transform based image fusion using unsharp masking is presented. DWT is used for decomposing input images (infrared, visible). Approximation and detailed coefficients are generated. For improving contrast unsharp masking has been applied on approximation coefficients. Then for merging approximation coefficients produced after unsharp masking average fusion rule is used. The rule that is used for merging detailed coefficients is max fusion rule. Finally, IDWT is used for generating a fused image. The result produced using the proposed fusion method is providing good contrast and also giving better performance results in reference to mean, entropy and standard deviation when compared with existing techniques.