A Novel Approach for Enhancing Contrast for Digital
Images
Dr Umesha K Dept. of Electronics
and communication Engg,Jawaharlal
College of Engineering and Technology
Abstract— Enhancing contrast is essential for improving the
visual appeal and automatic decision-making in industrial
applications across a variety of disciplines. This work provides a
unique method based on Stevens' power law (SPL), which is
derived from human brightness perception, for changing the
tonality of many types of images, including grayscale or color
contrast-distorted images and medical images. The suggested
approach takes into account the non-linear relationship between
intensity and perception in order to improve the overall tonal look
of the image. In order to attain the correct tone and improve visual
appeal, the first phase includes tonal adjustment utilizing SPL,
which enables exact fine-tuning of brightness levels depending on
intensity values. A sigmoid function is used to improve contrast by
selectively amplifying changes in pixel brightness between
neighboring pixels. This improves overall contrast while keeping
important details and avoiding over-amplification. The suggested
approach has two main advantages: it provides optimal visibility
and it has lower computational complexity. The processing
demands are reduced without affecting the output's quality by
utilizing SPL and the sigmoid function. This makes the suggested
solution suitable for real-time image processing applications while
also making it effective. Results from experiments show how the
suggested approach may be used to improve the visual quality of
many types of photos by altering the tone, adding contrast,
eliminating processing artifacts, and more. Performance
comparisons with other algorithms demonstrate the method's better
performance and efficiency.
Keywords: Steven’s power law, contrast enhancement,
contrast stretching.
I. INTRODUCTION
A key visual characteristic that is essential to how we see
and interpret pictures is contrast. It describes the variation in
brightness, color, or intensity between the different
components of a picture. To successfully communicate
visual information and improve the visual quality of
pictures, there must be sufficient contrast. To increase the
visual quality of the photos, researchers have proposed
different enhancement strategies. Contrast enhancement
(CE) is a technique for improving the appearance of images
in order to make them more suitable to human sight. CE is
usually made up of a series of operations, such as increasing
the disparities between foreground and background objects.
Since, CE methods can boost an image's brightness and/or
contrast to amplify features and make them easier to see, the
enhancement field is significant for both computer vision
and human perception. CE is widely used in a variety of
applications and industries, including medical imaging,
video surveillance systems, satellite image processing,
remote sensing, biology, and geographic research. Many CE
algorithms try to improve image quality attributes as
consistent contrast, brightness preservation, noise tolerance,
and color representation. There are two types of CE
techniques: direct and indirect [1]. Image contrast is
evaluated using direct methodologies based on the human
visual system (HVS), such as the Weber Fechner law or
Retinex theory [2], and is improved by employing various
nonlinear functions [3], or addressing optimization problems
[4]. Direct techniques have some advantages in terms of
image detail enhancement and dynamic range reduction, but
they require a high computational complexity and produce
'halo' aberrations, particularly around sharp edges [5].
Despite the fact that new direct approaches have been
developed to address these challenges, it remains
challenging to provide both high picture contrast and real-
time processing without introducing noticeable distortion. In
practice, indirect procedures, based on a global
transformation function, are more typically utilized than
direct methods for these reasons: when there are high peak
values in the image histogram, one of the most commonly
used indirect procedures, histogram equalization (HE),
produces visual distortions such as noise amplification,
contouring, or considerable brightness change [6]. Several
HE-based techniques solve these difficulties by modifying
the image histogram to lower high peak values before
deriving the transformation function from the adjusted
histogram. Recent indirect ways for preserving detail
construct the picture histogram using a two-dimensional
(2D) histogram [7] or fuzzy contextual information [8],
which provides higher weight to pixels in texture regions.
When compared to earlier indirect methods, these methods
improve performance and reduce information loss.
Throughout the years, a plethora of algorithms have been
introduced on CE, ranging from simple to complicated in
terms of calculations and concepts. In their study, Singh et
al. [9] provided a method termed recursive exposure sub
image histogram equalization (RESIHE). RESIHE
iteratively performs enhanced sub-picture histogram
equalization (ESIHE) to a picture until succeeding rounds of
exposure change are less than a predefined threshold. Jiang
et al. [10] created an optimal gamma correction and
weighted sum (OGCWS) algorithm that aims to improve
contrast while retaining the average. In order to increase the
color vividness of an image, Wong et al. [11] developed the
histogram equalization and optimal profile compression
(HEOPC) technique. Then, after converting the primary
colors into linked human perceptual zones, it modifies the
image's intensity using a newer HE method that compresses
unwanted artefacts. A fuzzy contextual (FC) technique for
color and grayscale pictures was introduced by Parihar et al.
[12]. The chosen algorithm amplifies intensity variations
based on the precise image's local relative information. The
use of a fuzzy dissimilarity histogram (FDH) allows for the
incorporation of contextual data. Convolutional neural
networks (CNNs), in particular, have been the subject of
substantial research for picture improvement in more recent
years. To the best of our knowledge, however, the majority
of deep learning-based techniques have been created for
medical photos [13], low-light images [14], or hazy images
[15] rather than for natural image augmentation. A quick
and effective image contrast enhancement algorithm
(HLIPSCS) was proposed by Zohair et al [16]. Better
brightness preservation, enhanced contrast, and more vibrant
colors were the results of this algorithm, using many
concepts like statistics, hyperbolic functions, contrast
stretching, and logarithmic image processing.
II. RELATED LITERATURE
In comparison to other contrast enhancement techniques,
such as [9], [10], [11], [12], Zohair et al.'s method[16]
offers: (a) efficient processing for a variety of grayscale and
color pictures with poor contrast representations, (b)
produce the output quickly while avoiding processing errors,
and (c) provide an enhancement amount control parameter
in order to make it simpler for the operator to get the desired
outcomes.
The following straightforward explanation will show how
their approach functions: firstly, two separate hyperbolic
functions process the input picture. Next, a LIP model is
used to integrate the output of these functions. The contrast
of the picture is then improved by using a nonlinear
transformation function in the form of a sigmoid function.
After that, a statistical processing technique is used to
enhance the image's brightness. And last, normalization,
which is the final algorithm output, does contrast stretching.
Better brightness preservation, enhanced contrast, and more
vibrant colors are the results of this algorithm, using many
concepts like statistics, hyperbolic functions, contrast
stretching, and logarithmic image processing.
In their method, hyperbolic functions were added to
enhance an image's tonality, but these functions induce a fast
rise in pixel value, which in turn leads to a compression of
the tonal range overall and a loss of details. Additionally,
hyperbolic functions do not offer precise control over the
tone mapping procedure. Due to the mathematical definition
of these functions, they do not provide modifiable
parameters that can be easily modified to achieve desired
tonal alteration. Additionally, it can be computationally
expensive to calculate hyperbolic functions for larger
photos. In time-sensitive applications or real-time scenarios,
this complexity may result in an increase in the processing
time needed for tone augmentation. In addition to hyperbolic
functions, their method combines hyperbolic tangent and
sine characteristics with LIP models to produce distinctive
images. LIP model performance significantly depends on the
calibre , variety, and representation of training data. LIP
models are used to combine hyperbolic sine and tangent
features, which involves complex calculations needing a lot
of computational power and processing time.
Nevertheless, despite improvements in CE methods,
there is still room for an algorithm to be developed that
performs better in terms of simplicity, effectiveness, and
maintaining both brightness and color representation. Such
an algorithm should make an effort to reduce processing
mistakes and prevent the introduction of undesirable
artifacts. A unique technique can significantly increase CE
by resolving these issues, resulting in improved visual
quality and correct perception of picture details.
In order to achieve the aforementioned goals, "Dynamic
Contrast Enhancement using Power Sigmoid" is proposed.
III. BACKGROUND
A. Human Brightness Perception
The brain's interpretation of the various light wavelengths
picked up by the cone cells in the retina is what allows
humans to see color. Cone cells, which are sensitive to the
three fundamental colors red, green, and blue, are in charge
of color vision. In order to perceive a variety of colors, the
brain analyses the data from these cones. Color spaces, like
the RGB (Red-Green-Blue) color space, can be used to
explain how colors are perceived. Each color is represented
by a combination of red, green, and blue intensities in the
RGB color model. In an 8-bit color depth system, intensities
vary from 0 to 255, with higher numbers signifying higher
intensities.
The brain uses the variations in pixel intensities to detect
changes in intensity in an image. Mathematical formulas and
models can be used to explain how the brain reacts to
variations in intensity. Weber's law [17], which asserts that
the perceived change in intensity is proportionate to the
starting intensity, is one widely used model. It can be written
mathematically as:
dI
=k (1)
I
where ‘k’ is a constant known as Weber's fraction, I stands
for the original intensity, dI stands for the intensity change.
The sensitivity of the human brain to intensity fluctuations is
determined by Weber's fraction. A lower value of ‘k’
denotes increased sensitivity to intensity variations.
The idea of brightness is a key one in the perception of
color. Luminance, which is obtained from the RGB color
values, stands for the brightness or intensity of a picture.
B. Human Perception Based Steven’s Power Law
Based on SPL [18], it is hypothesized that human perception
has a non-linear connection with physical stimulus intensity
for a variety of sensory inputs, such as brightness, loudness,
and perceived magnitude. This connection is described
mathematically by SPL.
The physical intensity (I) increased to a power (n)
determines the perceived magnitude (P) of a stimulus, in
accordance with SPL. It has the following mathematical
expression:
n
P=K∗I (2)
In this equation, ‘n’ is a parameter that controls how steep
the connection is, and ‘K’ is a constant. The sensitivity of
perception to variations in physical intensity is indicated by
the value of ‘n’. Small increases in intensity translate into
bigger apparent changes in magnitude when ‘n’ is larger,
indicating a steeper connection. A lower number of ‘n’, on
the other hand, denotes a shallower connection, with smaller
perceived changes in magnitude for a given change in
intensity.
According to SPL, the physical strength of a stimulus
does not necessarily rise linearly with our perception of it.
Instead, depending on the magnitude of n, it has a
compressive or expanding impact. These properties of our
sensory systems, which adapt and react differently to varied
intensities, are reflected in this nonlinear connection.
For instance, SPL suggests that our perception of
brightness does not rise in direct proportion to the physical
luminance in the context of brightness perception. The
perception of modest increases in brightness at lower
intensities is stronger than that of small increases at higher
intensities. Our visual system can successfully adjust to a
broad variety of brightness levels thanks to this non-linear
connection, emphasizing features in darker areas while
retaining discriminating in brighter areas.
Understanding human perception in terms of SPL can
help us better understand how our sensory systems react to
stimuli and can also help us create perceptually correct
methods for processing images and sounds. We may create
algorithms and models that take into account these perceptual
qualities by taking into account the non-linear structure of
perception, which will eventually result in more accurate and
useful sensory experiences.
IV. PROPOSED WORK
The main reasons behind introducing SPL in proposed
method are: (a) SPL seeks to preserve the image's perceptual
linearity, which means that variations in pixel values more
closely match how people perceive things. This provides a
more attractive and realistic-looking image, (b) the exponent
parameter of SPL enables precise control of the tone
mapping procedure. This parameter allows for more
freedom in tone modifications by allowing the
transformation to be tailored to certain image attributes or
artistic preferences, and (c) compared to the hyperbolic
functions, the power law transformation maintains more
picture details. This implies that significant details and
minute differences in the picture may be more effectively
preserved, leading to a more accurate depiction of the
original image.
Going into specific details, consider an input image,
which may be medical photos, satellite images, underwater
images, or images with altered contrast. To begin, apply
SPL transformation to the supplied image. Each pixel value
in the image is increased to the power of ‘k’, resulting in a
transformed image given by:
k A number of tests are conducted to show how well the
P=I (3)
This non-linear adjustment modifies the image's
intensities, emphasizing higher values and potentially
increasing contrast. The contrast of the idealized image is
enhanced even further. The converted picture P is then put
through a sigmoid function (SF) [19] ,which is the S-curve
transformation function utilized to enhance contrast in
several research articles[20]. The SF is defined as:
1
SF= −P
1+ e
(4)
The sigmoid function maps the pixel values using a non-
linear mapping, compressing the intensity range and
extending the values towards the extremes.
In CE process, brightness of image should be improved.
Here an improved version of CDF of Gompertz distribution
[21] is used in order to increase the brightness which is
utilized as :
{−( 0.4∗d )∗(e SF −1)} (5)
G=1−e
The ‘d’ parameter controls the enhancement effect, with
larger values resulting in more pronounced enhancement.
Finally, the generated image G is adjusted for intensity by
using method called normalization, which scales the
intensity values to the full dynamic range. The
normalization function is given as [22]:
CE=
[ G−min ( G ) ]
[ max ( G )−min (G ) ]
(6)
Fig. 1. Workflow diagram
This adjustment guarantees that the improved image,
denoted by CE, makes full use of the available pixel value
range, maximizing the CE impact and delivering a visually
appealing outcome. Fig. 1 shows the workflow diagram of
proposed method.
V. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
suggested algorithm works. Thousands of pictures were
downloaded from the internet and hundreds from Berkley
image data set [25], some of which were natural and others
of which had true contrast distortion. Some of these
photographs were utilized for comparison with current
techniques while others were used for experimental reasons.
To compare the perceived quality of the outcomes obtained
from the suggested and comparable approaches, two picture
assessment methodologies are used. These techniques
include Spatial Frequency (SF) [23] and the Natural Image
Quality Evaluator (NIQE) [24]. More crucially, the
suggested method's and the comparison method's execution
times are compared. Assessing and quantifying the (e1) (f1) (g1) (h1)
distribution of the numerous spatial frequencies seen in an
image is the process of spatial frequency assessment in
images. It involves looking at the patterns and variations in
color or intensity at different scales or frequencies.
In order to capture several statistical aspects of the (e2) (f2) (g2) (h2
picture, such as gradients, local brightness statistics, and
color attributes, the NIQE method computes a collection of
features. The quality score of the image is then estimated
using these features. The perceived quality of the image .
decreases as the NIQE score increases. (e3) (f3) (g3) (h3)

Fig. 3. Real color images from Berkley image data set [25] processed by
[16] and proposed method .

In comparison to the approach given in [16], the

experimental results shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 demonstrate
(a1) (b1) (c1) (d1)
how well our suggested method for CE performs. While ‘a2’
to ‘h2’ correspond to the contrast-enhanced versions of ‘a1’
to ‘h1’ using the approach in [16], ‘a1’ to ‘h1’ represent the
input pictures. The contrast-enhanced pictures of ‘a1’ to ‘h1’
that were acquired using our suggested approach are
represented similarly by ‘a3’ to ‘h3’.
(a2) (b2) (c2) (d2) It is clear from the findings that our suggested strategy
efficiently improves the tonality of the photos by adjusting
the SPL's parameter "k". It is clear from comparing
assessment metrics like NIQE, SF, and processing time that
our technique outperforms [16] in terms of visual quality
and processing speed. Notably, the suggested technique
(a3) (b3) (c3) (d3) delivers more vibrant colors while effectively maintaining
the original brightness of color photographs, resulting in a
Fig. 2. Real contrast distorted images processed by [16] and proposed
method. natural look.

NIQE has the benefit of not requiring a reference picture,

which makes it appropriate for assessing image quality when TABLE 1. The scored image evaluation readings and execution times of
two compared algorithms.
one is not readily available or practicable to produce. In
real-time applications including video processing, security
systems, and medical imaging, CE techniques are frequently Method [16] Proposed method
utilized. For the system to operate in real-time or to maintain
a smooth user experience, these need rapid and responsive IMAGE NIQE SF TIME NIQE SF TIME
processing. Making ensuring the CE procedure can be
Fig. a1 5.225 0.66 0.176 5.274 0.67 0.154
completed within the appropriate time restrictions involves
evaluating execution time. Fig. b1 3.964 0.61 0.033 4.130 0.63 0.027
We used a computer system with a 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7
CPU and 16 GB of RAM to conduct the testing and Fig. c1 2.724 0.62 0.017 2.767 0.62 0.008
comparisons. The environment used to execute all the Fig. d1 2.342 0.64 0.024 2.368 0.66 0.017
programmes is MATLAB 2021a.
Fig. e1 3.359 0.57 0.177 3.409 0.58 0.138
Fig. 2 shows the experimental results of various real
Fig. f1 2.490 0.60 0.027 2.795 0.59 0.012
contrast distorted images and some medical images.
Different images are processed separately to generate the Fig. g1 2.528 0.58 0.036 2.589 0.58 0.024
perfect tone by altering the constant parameter "k" of SPL.
This gives the hue mapping action fine-grained control and Fig. h1 3.232 0.63 0.035 3.246 0.65 0.012
caters to the distinctive features and needs of each image. Avg 3.233 0.61 0.065 3.322 0.622 0.049
The hue may be successfully improved by choosing the right
value of "k" for a given image, leading to aesthetically The data from two picture assessment approaches are shown
stunning effects that go beyond the capabilities of in Table 1, which offers thorough insights into the
hyperbolic functions. effectiveness of several strategies, including our suggested
method. Notably, our approach performs better than others
in terms of effectiveness and processing speed. The
suggested method's average NIQE and SF values are greater
than those of [16], demonstrating our method's superior
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