• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2023

Underwater images carry information that is useful in the fields of aquaculture, underwater military security, navigation, transportation, and so on. In this research, we transmitted an underwater image through various underwater mediums in the presence of underwater turbulence and beam attenuation effects using a high-speed visible optical carrier signal. The optical beam undergoes scintillation because of the turbulence and attenuation effects; therefore, distorted images were observed at the receiver end. To understand the behavior of the communication media, we obtained the bit error rate (BER) performance of the system with respect to the average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Also, the structural similarity index (SSI) and peak SNR (PSNR) metrics of the received image were evaluated. Based on the received images, we employed suitable nonlinear filters to recover the distorted images and enhance them further. The BER, SSI, and PSNR metrics of the specific nonlinear filters were also evaluated and compared with the unfiltered metrics. These metrics were evaluated using the on-off keying and binary phase-shift keying modulation techniques for the 50-m and 100-m links for beam attenuation resulting from pure seawater, clear ocean water, and coastal ocean water mediums.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.14-21
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• 2019

In the ground environment, mobile robot research uses sensors such as GPS and optical cameras to localize surrounding landmarks and to estimate the position of the robot. However, an underwater environment restricts the use of sensors such as optical cameras and GPS. Also, unlike the ground environment, it is difficult to make a continuous observation of landmarks for location estimation. So, in underwater research, artificial markers are installed to generate a strong and lasting landmark. When artificial markers are acquired with an underwater sonar sensor, different types of noise are caused in the underwater sonar image. This noise is one of the factors that reduces object detection performance. This paper aims to improve object detection performance through distortion and rotation augmentation of training data. Object detection is detected using a Faster R-CNN.

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.203-208
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• 2010

In this paper, we convert underwater acoustic signal made by sonar system into digital image. We propose the algorithm that detects target candidate and emphasizes information of target introducing image processing technique for the digital image. The process detecting underwater target estimates background noise in underwater acoustic signal changing irregularly, recomposes it. and eliminates background from original image. Therefore, it generates initial target group. Also, it generates weighted map through proceeding doppler information, ensures information for target candidate through filtering using weighted map for image eliminated background noise, and decides the target candidate area in the single frame. In this paper, we verified that proposed algorithm almost had eliminated the noise generated irregularly in underwater acoustic signal made by simulation, targets had been displayed more surely in the image of underwater acoustic signal through filtering and process of target detection.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.344-354
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• 2009

Side scan sonar using acoustic wave plays a very important role in the underwater, sea floor, and shallow marine geologic survey. In this study, we have acquired side scan sonar data for the underwater man-made structures, artificial reefs and fishing grounds, installed and distributed in the survey area. We applied digital image processing techniques to side scan sonar data in order to improve and enhance an image quality. We carried out digital image processing with various kinds of filtering in spatial domain and frequency domain. We tested filtering parameters such as kernel size, differential operator, and statistical value. We could easily estimate the conditions, distribution and environment of artificial structures through the interpretation of side scan sonar.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.370-376
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• 2023

In the underwater image, it is not clear to distinguish the shape of the target due to underwater noise and low resolution. In addition, as an input of deep learning, underwater images require pre-processing and segmentation must be preceded. Even after pre-processing, the target is not clear, and the performance of detection and identification by deep learning may not be high. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish and clarify the target. In this study, the importance of target shadows is confirmed in underwater images, object detection and target area acquisition by shadows, and data containing only the shape of targets and shadows without underwater background are generated. We present the process of converting the shadow image into a 3-mode image in which the target is white, the shadow is black, and the background is gray. Through this, it is possible to provide an image that is clearly pre-processed and easily discriminated as an input of deep learning. In addition, if the image processing code using Open Source Computer Vision (OpenCV)Library was used for processing, the processing speed was also suitable for real-time processing.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.214-220
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• 2016

Imaging sonars such as side-scanning sonar or forward-looking sonar are becoming fundamental sensors in the underwater robotics field. However, using sonar images for underwater perception presents many challenges. Sonar images are usually low resolution with inherent speckled noise. To overcome the limited sensor information for underwater perception, we investigated preprocessing methods for sonar images and feature detection methods for a nonlinear scale space. In this paper, we focus on a comparative analysis of (1) preprocessing for sonar images and (2) the feature detection performance in relation to the scale space composition.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.435-449
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• 2020

This paper proposes a method to estimate the underwater target object's yaw angle using a sonar image. A simulator modeling imaging mechanism of a sonar sensor and a generative adversarial network for style transfer generates realistic template images of the target object by predicting shapes according to the viewing angles. Then, the target object's yaw angle can be estimated by comparing the template images and a shape taken in real sonar images. We verified the proposed method by conducting water tank experiments. The proposed method was also applied to AUV in field experiments. The proposed method, which provides bearing information between underwater objects and the sonar sensor, can be applied to algorithms such as underwater localization or multi-view-based underwater object recognition.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.227-233
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• 2016

This paper presents an underwater structure 3D reconstruction method using a 2D multibeam imaging sonar. Compared with other underwater environmental recognition sensors, the 2D multibeam imaging sonar offers high resolution images in water with a high turbidity level by showing the reflection intensity data in real-time. With such advantages, almost all underwater applications, including ROVs, have applied this 2D multibeam imaging sonar. However, the elevation data are missing in sonar images, which causes difficulties with correctly understanding the underwater topography. To solve this problem, this paper concentrates on the physical relationship between the sonar image and the scene topography to find the elevation information. First, the modeling of the sonar reflection intensity data is studied using the distances and angles of the sonar beams and underwater objects. Second, the elevation data are determined based on parameters like the reflection intensity and shadow length. Then, the elevation information is applied to the 3D underwater reconstruction. This paper evaluates the presented real-time 3D reconstruction method using real underwater environments. Experimental results are shown to appraise the performance of the method. Additionally, with the utilization of ROVs, the contour and texture image mapping results from the obtained 3D reconstruction results are presented as applications.

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.92-100
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• 2020

Currently, the demand for underwater or underwater photography is growing very fast. Its coverage of underwater shooting for broadcasting, leisure and sports, and military and operational use is also growing rapidly. Among them, we specifically select the best camera to be used in underwater drones to photograph and inspect marine life attached to the ship's hull. To compare three cameras performance, they are compared and evaluated using objective and subjective criteria in special circumstances such as underwater shooting. This study checks whether performance criteria, such as resolution of a camera, meet objective and subjective standards in the unusual situation of underwater shooting. And it shows that in addition to the filter that calibrates the image, proper camera selection is important for providing good picture quality. Even after this study, research using more diverse cameras could provide an appropriate standard for comparison of underwater camera quality.

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.186-192
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• 2019

In general, many marine organisms are attached to the bottom of a ship in operation or a ship in construction. Due to this phenomenon, the roughness of the ship surface increases, resulting in loss of ship speed, resulting in economic losses and environmental pollution. This study acquires / utilizes camera images attached to ship's bottom and underwater drones to check the condition of bottom. The acquired image will determine the roughness according to marine life by the administrator's visual confirmation. Therefore, by applying a filter algorithm to correct the image to the original image can help in the correct determination of whether or not attached to marine life. Various correction filters are required for the underwater image correction algorithm, and the lighting suitable for the dark underwater environment has a great influence on the judgment. The results of the research test according to the calibration algorithm and the roughness of each algorithm are considered to be applicable to many fields.