Retinex Image Processing--Publications--SPIE 5403, Orlando, Florida
Conference
Enhanced images for checked and carry-on baggage and cargo
screening
Glenn A. Woodell, Zia-ur Rahman, Daniel J. Jobson, Glenn Hines
Abstract
The current X-ray systems used by airport security personnel for the
detection of contraband, and objects such as knives
and guns that can impact the security of a flight, have limited effect
because of the limited display quality of the X-ray
images. Since the displayed images do not possess optimal contrast and
sharpness, it is possible for the security
personnel to miss potentially hazardous objects. This problem is also
common to other disciplines such as medical Xrays,
and can be mitigated, to a large extent, by the use of state-of-the-art
image processing techniques to enhance the
contrast and sharpness of the displayed image. The NASA Langley Research
Centers Visual Information Processing
Group has developed an image enhancement technology that has direct
applications to this problem of inadequate
display quality. Airport security X-ray imaging systems would benefit
considerably by using this novel technology,
making the task of the personnel who have to interpret the X-ray images
considerably easier, faster, and more reliable.
This improvement would translate into more accurate screening as well as
minimizing the screening time delays to
airline passengers. This technology, Retinex, has been optimized for
consumer applications but has been applied to
medical X-rays on a very preliminary basis. The resultant technology could
be incorporated into a new breed of
commercial x-ray imaging systems which would be transparent to the screener
yet allow them to see subtle detail much
more easily, reducing the amount of time needed for screening while greatly
increasing the effectiveness of contraband
detection and thus public safety.
Download
PDF (7.8M)
Retinex Publications Page