FPGA-Accelerated Dehazing by Visible and Near-infrared Image Fusion

Abstract: Fog and haze can have a dramatic impact on vision systems for land and sea vehicles. The impact of such conditions on infrared images is not as severe as for standard images. By fusing images from two cameras, one ordinary and one near-infrared camera, a complete dehazing system with colour preservation can be achieved. Applying several different algorithms to an image set and evaluating the results, the most suitable image fusion algoritm has been identified. Using an FPGA, a programmable integrated circuit, a crucial part of the algorithm has been implemented. It is capable of producing processed images 30 times faster than a laptop computer. This implementation lays the foundation of a real-time dehazing system and provides a significant part of the full solution. The results show that such a system can be accomplished with an FPGA.