Visual Quality

The analysis of the relationships between landscape visual quality and landscape structural properties is an active area of environmental perception research. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between landscape spatial pattern and the rating of visual aesthetic quality. Eight landscape photographs were evaluated for 11 visual attributes by 98 respondents. The scores obtained for these 11 attributes were subjected to principal components analysis in order to summarize the qualities used by the respondents and thus determine their visual preferences. For each photograph, three window sizes were defined (with respect to a landcover map) to cover the different areas corresponding to the visual field (foreground, mid-ground and background). The landscape spatial structure for each window was analyzed using spatial metrics. The correlation between each dimension and the spatial pattern indices of the landscape were then calculated. Positive correlations were obtained...

ABSTRACT An important component of shrimp quality evaluation is determination of visual attributes by trained inspectors. This is subjective, time con-suming, and difficult to quantify. An automated device was developed for repeatable, objective measurement of visual quality of shrimp. ...

The research presented here evaluated viewer preferences for a road corridor in southern Utah that is managed in part by the USDA Forest Service, and in part by the National Park Service. Because philosophical differences per agency can lead to visible differences in ...

ABSTRACT The locations and the relationships between locations that have emerged with urbanization and the growth of cities have placed considerable pressures on city dwellers. In recent times, city dwellers have been seeking comfort both inside and outside their homes. The search for comfort outside of homes, in particular, has increasingly focused on satisfying both the physical and psychological eeds of city dwellers. To satisfy such demands, efforts should be made to create locations with aesthetic and functional qualities. In this study, our aim was to evaluate the relationships between the visual quality of urban recreational areas and the structural and vegetation landscape elements of these areas with regards to the preferences of visitors and users. One-on-one interviews using photo- questionnaires were conducted in the study areas with 409 individuals. Based on our findings, it was observed that the water surface area, the widths of pedestrian walkways, the function of recreational areas, plant composition, plant color composition, and plant species diversity can positively affect the visual quality of a landscape area. Furthermore, it was determined that a lack of bush-type plants within the plant composition can have a negative effect on visual quality.

Term “super-resolution” is typically used for a high-resolution image produced from several low-resolution noisy observations. In this paper, we consider the problem of high-quality interpolation of a single noise-free image. Several aspects of the corresponding super-resolution algorithm are investigated: choice of regularization term, dependence of the result on initial approximation, convergence speed, and heuristics to facilitate convergence and improve the visual quality of the resulting image.

Fractals have experienced considerable success in quantifying the complex structure exhibited by many natural patterns and have captured the imagination of scientists and artists alike. With ever widening appeal, they have been referred to both as "fingerprints of nature" and "the new aesthetics." Our research has shown that the drip patterns of the American abstract painter Jackson Pollock are fractal. In this paper, we consider the implications of this discovery. We first present an overview of our research from the past five years to establish a context for our current investigations of human response to fractals. We discuss results showing that fractal images generated by mathematical, natural and human processes possess a shared aesthetic quality based on visual complexity. In particular, participants in visual perception tests display a preference for fractals with mid-range fractal dimensions. We also present recent preliminary work based on skin conductan...

This paper presents an efficient solution for digital images sharpening, the Adaptive Directional Sharpening with Overshoot Control (ADSOC), a method based on a high-pass filter able to perform a stronger sharpening in the detailed zones of the image, preserving the homogeneous regions. The basic objective of this approach is to reduce the undesired effects. The sharpening introduced along strong edges

... Landscape and Urban Planning Volume 69, Issue 1, 15 July 2004, Pages 115-125. ... An application based on two Mediterranean rural areas in Andalusia in Southern Spain is ... exist between landscape components and the scenic preferences of observers (Palmer, 1983, Daniel ...

Although three-dimensional (3D) displays enhance visual quality more than two-dimensional (2D) displays do, the depth information required for 3D displays is unavailable in the conventional 2D content. Therefore, converting 2D videos into 3D ones has become an important issue in emerging 3D applications. This work presents a novel algorithm that automatically converts 2D videos into 3D ones. The proposed algorithm utilizes the edge information to segment the image into object groups. A depth map is then assigned based on a hypothesized depth gradient model. Next, the depth map is block-based assigned by cooperating with a cross bilateral filter to generate visually comfortable depth maps efficiently and also diminish the block artifacts. A multiview video can be readily generated by using a depth image-based rendering method.

Abstract—By taking into account the properties and limitations of the human visual system (HVS), images can be more efficiently compressed, colors more accurately reproduced, prints better rendered, to mention a few major advantages. To achieve these goals it is necessary to build a computational model of the HVS. In this paper we give an introduction to the general issue of HVS-modeling and review the specific applications of visual quality assessment and HVS-based image compression, which are closely related. On one hand, ...

The use of 3D laser scanner in documenting heritage sites has increased significantely over the past few years. This is maily due to advances of such systems which allow for the fast and reliable generation of millions of 3D points. Despite the considerable progress of these approaches, the highest possible degree in efficiency and flexibility of data collection will be

There has always been a demand for real estate with the aim of accommodation and/or making investments. The real estate is also vital for a country's economy as urban land value is determinative in both urban planning and real estate activities in economies of today's world. Knowing the factors affecting the urban land values is an important advantage in identifying the future of urban development and anticipating probable changes. The study aims to discuss urban and spatial factors which affect the urban land values in residential areas and based on this discussion to propose an original model with reference to Istanbul, a world metropolis. In studies determining the effective factors for urban land values, the structural variables both at dwelling and building level, the variables of neighborhood unit, natural and built environment and the socio economic characteristics of built environment have been considered. There are many factors affecting the urban land values. Among...