Contrast-based image fusion using the discrete wavelet transform

We introduce a contrast-based image fusion method using the wavelet multiresolution analysis. This method includes three steps. First, the multiresolution architectures of the two original input images are obtained using the discrete wavelet transform. A new concept called directive contrast is presented. Second, the multiresolution architecture (MRA) of the fused image can be achieved by selecting the corresponding subband signals of each input image based on the directive contrast. Finally, the fused image is reconstructed using the inverse wavelet transform. This algorithm is relevant to visual sensitivity and is tested by merging visual and IR images. The result shows that the fused image can integrate the details of each original image. The visual aesthetics and the computed SNRs of the fused images show that the new approaches can provide better fusion results than some previous multiresolution fusion methods. (C) 2000 society of Photo-Optical Instrementation Engineers. [S0091-3286(00)03607-2].