A Survey on Underwater Computer Vision

What is it about?

This is an up-to-date survey of underwater computer vision techniques for image reconstruction, restoration, recognition, depth and shape recovery. It indicates that much research is focused on image reconstruction and restoration due to the importance of colour constancy for achieving higher-level vision tasks, such as recognition or shape recovery, under the challenging and widely varying imaging conditions that apply to underwater scenes. Therefore underwater image formation models and image processing methods are explained comprehensively. Further, current applications such as biodiversity assessment, management and conservation, infrastructure inspection, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and others are reviewed. Finally, trends, challenges and opportunities in the field are discussed.

Featured Image

Photo by Sreehari Devadas on Unsplash

Photo by Sreehari Devadas on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Recent advances in underwater platforms, such as rovers, gliders, AUVs, etc. make now possible the acquisition of vast amounts of underwater imagery and video. Computer Vision can make sense of these data to improve the research, conservation and management of aquatic biodiversity and human activities carried out in underwater environments by discovering, identifying and monitoring the underwater world.