Sigma filtered perceptual image coding at low bit rates

In this work we propose a novel perceptual coding strategy to encode images at low bit rates. Our approach encodes the most important visual features of an image extracted by using a sigma filter. Preliminary results show that the image decoded by our scheme contains less visual artifacts than the SPIHT decoded image at low bit rates, and is very pleasant to human eyes. Unlike other low bit rate progressive coding methods, in which the low-bit-rate decoded image quality is good only at low resolution, our scheme provides good perceptual quality regardless of resolution sizes. Our method provides a promising way to make image browsing faster while maintaining good image perceptual quality.