Abstract

Most of the image processing techniques such as edge detection, segmentation, object tracking, pattern recognition etc. do not perform well in the presence of noise. Thus, image restoration as a preprocessing step is performed before applying the image to any of the above mentioned techniques. The sources of noise in images arise during image acquisition, digitization or transmission. Now study for removing fixed impulse noise (salt and pepper) is carried out for noise from color images. Impulse noise is caused by errors in the data transmission generated in noisy sensors or communication channels, or by errors during the data capture from digital cameras. Noise is usually quantified by the percentage of pixels which are corrupted. Corrupted pixels are either set to the maximum value or have single bits flipped over. In some cases, single pixels are set alternatively to zero or to the maximum value. This is the most common form of impulse noise and is called salt and pepper noise.