Multi-focus color image fusion in the HSI space using the sum-modified-laplacian and a coarse edge map

This paper presented a simple algorithm for fusion of multi-focus color images. The algorithm was developed in HSI space where the intensity component was not very sensitive to noise. First, an initial decision map was generated by computing the classical SML (sum-modified-laplacian) as the pixels’ focus measure using the intensity component; second, by subtracting one of multi-focus images from another, a coarse edge map was obtained to refine the initial decision map; third, a fast region-filling method was used to build the final decision map; fourth, a soft fusion strategy was applied to the transition zone between focused and defocused regions and a nice-looking fused image was generated. Experiments showed that the algorithm was effective and the results were acceptable.