Improving Image Filter Efficiency: A Multi-objective Genetic Algorithm Approach to Optimize Computing Efficiency

For real-time applications in embedded systems, an efficient image filter is not defined solely by its accuracy but by the delicate balance it strikes between precision and computational cost. While one approach to manage an algorithm’s computing demands involves evaluating its complexity, an alternative strategy employs a multi-objective algorithm to optimize both precision and computational cost. In this paper, we introduce a multi-objective adaptation of Cartesian Genetic Programming aimed at enhancing image filter performance. We refine the existing Cartesian Genetic Programming framework for image processing by integrating the elite Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm into the evolutionary process, thus enabling the generation of a set of Pareto front solutions that cater to multiple objectives. To assess the effectiveness of our framework, we conduct a study using a Urban Traffic dataset and compare our results with those obtained using the standard framework employing a mono-objective evolutionary strategy. Our findings reveal two key advantages of this adaptation. Firstly, it generates individuals with nearly identical precision in one objective while achieving a substantial enhancement in the other objective. Secondly, the use of the Pareto front during the evolution process expands the research space, yielding individuals with improved fitness.