A new image enhancement technology developed by researchers at James Cook University may make the search for long-lost shipwrecks, downed aircraft, and even rare species of coral and fish easier. The technology, known as UDnet, was developed by Dr. Alzayat Saleh, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at AIMS@JCU, and Professor Mostafa Rahimi Azghadi, an Electronics and Computer Engineering professor, in collaboration with Distinguished Professors Marcus Sheaves and Dean Jerry. In tests involving thousands of images across multiple datasets, UDnet has already outperformed ten existing state-of-the-art underwater image enhancement models.
“You don’t get the same image quality underwater as you would above water,” said Professor Azghadi. “Light scatters differently, and various wavelengths of light are absorbed at different rates. This makes it difficult to capture clear images, especially in deeper waters.” The model addresses these challenges by counteracting the effects of light absorption and scattering.
“In water, only colors with shorter wavelengths, like blue and green, penetrate deeply. This often distorts the true colors of underwater scenes, making it difficult to distinguish between objects like different types of coral,” said Dr. Saleh. “UDnet is trained on large datasets of underwater images, using the three primary colors of light—red, green, and blue—to analyze each pixel and correct color imbalances.”
“For instance, if an image is 99% blue due to being captured underwater, the model knows that’s unrealistic and adjusts the colors to achieve a natural balance.”
The AI model processes each pixel millions of times, guided by statistical algorithms without human feedback, to ensure the enhanced images are as accurate as possible. One of UDnet’s standout features is its ability to enhance images and videos in real time, making it ideal for use with underwater cameras, such as those on remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).
“Another advantage is that UDnet is open source and publicly available for download,” Dr. Saleh noted. “This means researchers, marine scientists, and explorers can start using the technology with just a few clicks.”
Dr. Saleh added that UDnet would be particularly beneficial for marine science and aquaculture research, where clear images are crucial for analyzing species’ finer features, such as their color or signs of disease.
Marine conservation, archaeology, environmental monitoring, and even search-and-rescue efforts to locate downed aircraft are other potential applications for the technology.
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