Perceptually-Weighted Cnn For 360-Degree Image Quality Assessment Using Visual Scan-Path And Jnd

Image quality assessment of immersive content and more specifically 360-degree one is still in its infancy. There are many challenges regarding sphere vs. projected representation, human visual system (HVS) properties in a 360-degree environment, etc. In this paper, we propose the use of CNNs to design a no reference model to predict visual quality of 360-degree images. Instead of feeding the CNN with ERPs, visually important viewports are extracted based on visual scan-path prediction and given to a multi-channel CNN using DenseNet-121. Moreover, information about visual fixations and just noticeable difference are used to account for the HVS properties and make the network closer to human judgment. The scan-path is also used to create multiple instances of the database so as to perform a robust generalization analysis and compensate for the lack of databases.