A comparative study of color quantization methods using various image quality assessment indices

Abstract

This article analyzes various color quantization methods using multiple image quality assessment indices. Experiments were conducted with ten color quantization methods and eight image quality indices on a dataset containing 100 RGB color images. The set of color quantization methods selected for this study includes well-known methods used by many researchers as a baseline against which to compare new methods. On the other hand, the image quality assessment indices selected are the following: mean squared error, mean absolute error, peak signal-to-noise ratio, structural similarity index, multi-scale structural similarity index, visual information fidelity index, universal image quality index, and spectral angle mapper index. The selected indices not only include the most popular indices in the color quantization literature but also more recent ones that have not yet been adopted in the aforementioned literature. The analysis of the results indicates that the conventional assessment indices used in the color quantization literature generate different results from those obtained by newer indices that take into account the visual characteristics of the images. Therefore, when comparing color quantization methods, it is recommended not to use a single index based solely on pixelwise comparisons, as is the case with most studies to date, but rather to use several indices that consider the various characteristics of the human visual system.