Cuckoo search algorithm-based brightness preserving histogram scheme for low-contrast image enhancement

This paper introduces a novel optimized brightness preserving histogram equalization approach to preserve the mean brightness and to improve the contrast of low-contrast image using cuckoo search algorithm. Traditional histogram equalization scheme induces extreme enhancement and brightness change ensuing abnormal appearance. The proposed method utilizes plateau limits to modify histogram of the image. In this method, histogram is divided into two sub-histograms on which histogram statistics are exploited to obtain the plateau limits. The sub-histograms are equalized and modified based on the calculated plateau limits obtained by cuckoo search optimization technique. To demonstrate the effectiveness of proposed method a comparison of the proposed method with different histogram processing techniques is presented. Proposed method outperforms other state-of-art methods in terms of the objective as well as subjective quality evaluation.