Application of deep reinforcement learning in various image processing tasks: a survey

A subset of machine learning algorithm called Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) enables computers or agents to learn behavior by taking actions in a given environment through trial and error while observing the rewards. In this learning paradigm, the agent is given a set of actions to chose and is then rewarded or punished depending on the results of those actions. The agent gradually develops the ability to make the best decisions by maximizing its rewards. DRL blends the learning ability of deep neural networks into the decision making capability of reinforcement learning (RL) frameworks in order to seeks and identify the most favorable set of actions. This survey paper studies DRL applications for diverse image processing tasks. It starts by providing an overview of the latest model-free and model-based RL and DRL algorithms. Then, it looks at how DRL is being used for various image processing tasks including image segmentation and classification, object detection, image registration, image denoising, image restoration, and landmark detection. Lastly, the paper discusses the potential uses and challenges of DRL in the proposed area by addressing the research questions. Survey results have showed that DRL is a promising approach for image processing and that it has the potential to solve complex image processing tasks. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2024.