Using Human Visual System modeling for bio-inspired low level image processing

An efficient modeling of the processing occurring at retina level and in the V1 visual cortex has been proposed in [1,2]. The aim of the paper is to show the advantages of using such a modeling in order to develop efficient and fast bio-inspired modules for low level image processing. At the retina level, a spatio-temporal filtering ensures accurate structuring of video data (noise and illumination variation removal, static and dynamic contour enhancement). In the V1 cortex, a frequency and orientation based analysis is performed. The combined use of retina and V1 cortex modeling allows the development of low level image processing modules for contour enhancement, for moving contour extraction, for motion analysis and for motion event detection. Each module is described and its performances are evaluated. The retina model has been integrated into a real-time C/C++ optimized program which is also presented in this paper with the derived computer vision tools. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.