Image enhancement for point feature detection in built environment

Image preprocessing is required for texture poor, low-contrast images to enable the functionality of local feature detection algorithms. This is especially true in built environment. We propose a novel image enhancement procedure that conserves the core `signal' in images, while enriching its environment by damping non-essential parts of the signal. Proposed image enhancement method is examined with SIFT, MSER and Harris corner detectors. As a result all detectors, which were originally not able to recover the essential features, improved their performance. Such features were detected also in areas that were not optimally illuminated.