Saliency-directed color image interpolation using artificial neural network and particle swarm optimization

In this study, a saliency-directed color image interpolation approach using artificial neural network (ANN) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) is proposed. First, a high-quality saliency map of a color image to be interpolated is generated by a modified block-based visual attention model in an effective manner. Then, based on the saliency map, bilinear interpolation and ANN–PSO interpolation are employed for non-saliency (non-ROI) and saliency (ROI) blocks, respectively, to obtain the final color interpolation results. In the proposed ANN–PSO interpolation scheme, ANN is used to determine the orientation of each 5 × 5 image pattern (block), whereas PSO is employed to determine the weights in 5 × 5 interpolation filtering masks. The proposed approach is applicable to image interpolation with arbitrary magnification factors (MFs). Based on the experimental results obtained in this study, the color interpolation results by the proposed approach are better than those by five comparison approaches.

► Saliency-directed color image interpolation using ANN and PSO is proposed. ► Bilinear interpolation is applied for non-saliency blocks. ► ANN–PSO interpolation is applied for saliency blocks. ► ANN is employed to determine the orientation of each 5 × 5 image block. ► PSO is employed to determine the weights in 5 × 5 interpolation filtering masks.