Quality Measures In The Processing Of High-Contrast Images

The use of image quality measures in the design of processing algorithms and equipment is a difficult task. Realistic and useful images are complex and far from the threshold conditions under which psychophysical measurements and models are obtained. For a class of processing algorithms, the image distortion is actually proportional to the image contrast. For these algorithms it appears possible to determine a worst case image and to establish fairly simple quality criteria. The basic components of such a quality measure are discussed and examples of application given.