Image smoothing with generalized random walks: Algorithm and applications

A novel generalized random walks model based algorithm for image smoothing is presented. Unlike previous image smoothing methods, the proposed method performs image smoothing in a global weighted way based on graph notation, which can preserve important features and edges as much as possible. Based on the new random walks model, input image information and user defined smoothing scale information are projected to a graph, our method calculates the probability that a random walker starting at each pixel node position will first reach one of the pre-defined terminal node to achieve image smoothing, which goes to solving a system of linear equations, the system can be solved efficiently by lots of methods. Theoretical analysis and experimental results are reported to illustrate the usefulness and potential applicability of our algorithm on various computer vision fields, including image enhancement, edge detection, image decomposition, high dynamic range (HDR) image tone mapping and other applications. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.