• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Broadcast Engineers Conference
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• 1996.06a
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• pp.175-180
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• 1996

In this paper, a new image segmentation method based on merging of two low contrast neighbor regions iteratively is proposed. It is suitable for very low bit rate coding. The proposed method reduces efficiently contour information and preserves subjective and objective image quality. It consists of image segmentation using 4-level hierarchical structure based on mathematical morphology and 1-level region merging structure using the contrast difference of two adjacent neighbor regions. For each segmented region of the third level, two adjacent neighbor regions having low contrast difference value in fourth level based on contrast difference value is merged iteratively. It preserves image quality and shows the noticeable reduction of the contour information, so that it can improve the bottleneck problem of segmentation-based coding at very low bit rate.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.287-296
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• 2012

Although low spatial resolution satellite images like MODIS and GOCI can be important to observe land surface, it is often difficult to visually interpret the imagery because of the low contrast by prevailing cloud covers. We proposed a simple and adaptive stretching algorithm to enhance image contrast over land areas in cloudy images. The proposed method is basically a linear algorithm that stretches only non-cloud pixels. The adaptive linear stretch method uses two values: the low limit (L) from image statistics and upper limit (U) from low boundary value of cloud pixels. The cloud pixel value was automatically determined by pre-developed empirical function for each spectral band. We used MODIS and GOCI images having various types of cloud distributions and coverage. The adaptive contrast stretching method was evaluated by both visual interpretation and statistical distribution of displayed brightness values.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.12-19
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• 2019

A former study has shown that the spin-lattice relaxation time ($T_1$) in cancerous prostate tissue had enhanced contrast at an ultra-low magnetic field, $132{\mu}T$. To study the field dependence and the origin of the contrast we measured $T_1$ in pairs of ex-vivo prostate tissues at the Earth's magnetic field. A portable and coil-based nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) system was adopted for $T_1$ measurements at $40{\mu}T$. The $T_1$ contrast, ${\delta}=1-T_1$ (more cancer)/$T_1$(less cancer), was calculated from each pair. Additionally, we performed pathological examinations such as Gleason's score, cell proliferation index, and micro-vessel density (MVD), to quantify correlations between the pathological parameters and $T_1$ of the cancerous prostate tissues.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.130-137
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• 2011

Visual stimuli of nets, which affect fishing selectivity, vary by twine diameter, color, and material under different light conditions and visual geometries. In this study, two cylindrical model codends of two mesh sizes, 28 and 43 mm, were made of high-contrast, dark brown polyethylene (PE) netting twine and low contrast, light-blue polyamid (PA) monofilament twine. Each model codend was filled with juvenile seabream and set in the water channel of a light-blue circular tank under a flow speed 0.8 m/s for 30 min. Light conditions were set to relatively bright, dim, and dark. The resulting retention rates of juvenile seabream were 15-35% lower for the low-contrast codend with PA monofilament than for the high contrast PE twine netting under bright and dim light conditions, while no difference was observed under dark conditions. The effects of mesh size and netting contrast on the retention rate were dependent on the light level, while the retention rate due to netting contrast was independent of mesh size. Therefore, low-contrast nets in the codend could help to reduce juvenile bycatch by disturbing the orderly optomotor response.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems Conference
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• 2002.12a
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• pp.295-299
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• 2002

This paper presents an image contrast enhancement technique for improving low contrast images. We applied fuzzy logic to develop an image contrast enhancement technique in the viewpoint of considering that the low pictorial information of a low contrast image is due to the vaguness or fuzziness of the multivalued levels of brightness rather than randomness. The fuzzy image contrast enhancement technique consists of three main stages, namely, image fuzzification, modification of membership values, and image defuzzification. In the stage of image fuzzification, we need to select a crossover point. To select the crossover point automatically the K-means algorithm is used. The problem of crossover point selection can be considered as the two-category, object and background, classification problem. The proposed method is applied to an experimental image with 256 gray levels and the result of the proposed method is compared with that of the histogram equalization technique. We used the index of fuzziness as a measure of image quality. The result shows that the proposed method is better than the histogram equalization technique.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.71-79
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is computed tomography contrast agent at low concentrations and low tube voltage technique to evaluate the usefulness on the phantom image. By varying the degree of mixture by the contrast medium concentration it was inserted in phantom. It was taken by changing the tube voltage and tube current step by step, and to evaluate the dose and the CT value obtained from the phantom image. As a result, low-contrast, low tube voltage(300 mgI/ml, 100 kV) was reduced by an average 21%(CTDIvol; computed tomography dose indexvol) more standard condition(350 mgI/ml, 120 kV). SNR was increased at all depths of the phantom, respectively 1:10 and 1:20(by diluting a contrast agent and normal saline) 12.2(26%) 6.2(17%). CNR was increased at all depths of the phantom, respectively 1:10 and 1:20(by diluting a contrast agent and normal saline) 11.5(32%), 6.3(26%). Research work on the CT scan is necessary in a variety of studies on the low contrast concentration and low tube voltage techniques for dose reduction and reducing of side effects the contrast agent.

• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.284-294
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• 2012

A low power contrast enhancement algorithm for OLED displays is proposed in this work. The proposed algorithm increases the contrast of the image based on a linear transformation function, while reducing the power consumption of OLED displays. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm extends the global contrast enhancement to local contrast enhancement using the block-based transformation function. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm reduces the power consumption, while enhancing the contrast of an input image.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.485-486
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• 2012

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Structure & Construction
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.191-202
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• 2019

This study examines the effect of luminance contrast ratio of character on readability and visual fatigue during an hour-long reading session while using a tablet PC in ambient environments having low luminance limited to $25cd/m^2$. Experiments were conducted with four patterns of the tablet's luminance contrast ratio of characters, namely 1:2.5, 1:4.5, 1:6.5, and 1:8.5, in low ambient luminance of $9cd/m^2$ and $25cd/m^2$. The obtained results show that the characters can be easily read at the luminance contrast ratio of character of 1:8.5 under surface luminance of $25cd/m^2$. Visual fatigue was evaluated through a subjective survey of symptoms. Physical, psychological, and visual fatigue were observed at a surface luminance of $9cd/m^2$, whereas solely visual fatigue was felt at a surface luminance of $25cd/m^2$. By assessing the physical fatigue using the value, it has been found that smaller the luminance contrast ratio of character, greater is the CFF variation rate. Furthermore, readability is poor and visual fatigue can be observed when the surface luminance is lower than the ambient luminance. However, readability can be improved by increasing the luminance contrast ratio of character to a value of 1:8.5. Thus, in low luminance environments, luminance contrast ratio of characters can affect readability and fatigue. Consider providing the full form of "CFF" so that the acronym can be used unambiguously throughout the manuscript.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems Conference
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• 2001.12a
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• pp.279-282
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• 2001

This paper presents an image contrast enhancement technique for improving the low contrast images using the improved IAFC(Integrated Adaptive Fuzzy Clustering) Model. The low pictorial information of a low contrast image is due to the vagueness or fuzziness of the multivalued levels of brightness rather than randomness. Fuzzy image processing has three main stages, namely, image fuzzification, modification of membership values, and image defuzzification. Using a new model of automatic crossover point selection, optimal crossover point is selected automatically. The problem of crossover point selection can be considered as the two-category classification problem. The improved MEC can classify the image into two classes with unsupervised teaming rule. The proposed method is applied to some experimental images with 256 gray levels and the results are compared with those of the histogram equalization technique. We utilized the index of fuzziness as a measure of image quality. The results show that the proposed method is better than the histogram equalization technique.