Decision-level fusion detection for infrared and visible spectra based on deep learning

A fusion detection methodology for infrared and visible spectra was presented based on deep learning. First, a parameter transfer model for deep learning models was proposed. Then a pretraining model for infrared object detection was extracted from a visible object detection model based on deep learning and was fine-tuned on a collected infrared image dataset to obtain an infrared object detection model based on deep learning. On this basis, a decision-level fusion model for infrared and visible detection based on deep learning was established, and the model design, image registration and decision-level fusion processes were discussed in detail. Finally, an experiment comparing single-band detection and dual-band fusion detection during the daytime and nighttime was presented. Qualitatively, compared with the results of single-band detection, the confidences and bounding boxes achieved through dual-band fusion detection are superior, owing to the utility of their complementary information. Quantitatively, in the daytime, the mAP of dual-band fusion detection is 86.0% and is higher than those of infrared detection and visible detection by 9.9% and 5.3%, respectively; at nighttime, the mAP of dual-band fusion detection is 89.4% and is higher by 3.1% and 14.4%, respectively. The experimental results show that the dual-band fusion detection method proposed in this paper shows better performance and stronger robustness than the single-band object detection methods do, thus verifying the effectiveness of the proposed method.