Image super resolution model enabled by wavelet lifting with optimized deep convolutional neural network

Abstract

AbstractThis paper plans to develop an intelligent super resolution model with the linkage of Wavelet lifting scheme and Deep learning algorithm. Before initiating the resolution procedure, the entire HR images are converted into Low Resolution (LR) images using bicubic interpolation‐based downsampling and upsampling. Further, the Wavelet lifting scheme helps to generate the four subbands of each image like LR wavelet Sub‐Bands for LR images, and High Resolution (HR) wavelet Sub‐Bands for HR images. The residual image is generated by taking the difference between the LR wavelet Sub‐Bands and HR wavelet Sub‐Bands images. The proposed model involves two main phases: Training phase and Testing. The training phase trains the residual image of all images by Deep Convolutional Neural Network with LR wavelet Sub‐Bands as input and residual image as target. On the other hand, in testing phase, the LR wavelet Sub‐Bands query image is subjected to Deep Convolutional Neural Network, which outputs the concerned residual image. This generated residual image is summed with LR wavelet Sub‐Bands image, followed by inverse wavelet lifting scheme to obtain the final super resolution image. The main contribution of this paper is to improve the conventional Deep Convolutional Neural Network by optimizing the number of hidden layer, and hidden neurons using modified Whale Optimization Algorithm called Average Fitness Enabled Whale Optimization Algorithm by considering the objective of maximizing the Peak Signal‐to‐Noise Ratio. Finally, the proposed method achieves an improved quality of the results which is comparable the existing models.