WavEnhancer: Unifying Wavelet and Transformer for Image Enhancement

Image enhancement is a widely used technique in digital image processing that aims to improve image aesthetics and visual quality. However, traditional methods of enhancement based on pixel-level or global-level modifications have limited effectiveness. Recently, as learning-based techniques gain popularity, various studies are now focusing on utilizing networks for image enhancement. However, these techniques often fail to optimize image frequency domains. This study addresses this gap by introducing a transformer-based model for improving images in the wavelet domain. The proposed model refines various frequency bands of an image and prioritizes local details and high-level features. Consequently, the proposed technique produces superior enhancement results. The proposed model’s performance was assessed through comprehensive benchmark evaluations, and the results suggest it outperforms the state-of-the-art techniques.