Face recognition with LWIR imagery using local binary patterns

Abstract

In this paper, the merits of the Local Binary Patterns (LBP) representation are investigated in the context of face recognition using long-wave infrared images. Long-wave infrared images are invariant to illumination, but at the same time they are affected by a fixed-pattern noise inherent to this technology. The fixed-pattern is normally compensated by means of a non-uniformity correction method. Our study shows that the LBP approach is robust to the fixed-pattern noise, as well as to the presence of glasses. Not only no noise suppressing preprocessing is needed, but in fact if a non-uniformity correction method is applied, the image texture is amplified and the performance of the LBP degraded. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2009.