Evaluation of HDR Tone Mapping Algorithms using a High-Dynamic-Range Display to Emulate Real Scenes

Jiangtao Kuang Rodney Heckaman Mark D. Fairchild (SID Member) Abstract — Current HDR display technology approaches the dynamic-range capabilities of the fully adapted human visual system. As such, this technology has potential for performing as a surrogate for real-world scenes in the perceptual evaluation of high-dynamic-range (HDR) image-reproduction algorithms that aim to map HDR scenes to the limited dynamic ranges available in typical display and print technology. Compared with direct image assessment in comparison with real-world scenes, it is clear that use of HDR display technology has the benefit of simplicity in experimental design while maintaining the HDR of the original scene. To evaluate this potential application of HDR display technology, seven published versions of well-known HDR tone-mapping algorithms were benchmarked for perceptual rendering accuracy against each of four real-world scenes constructed in the laboratory and against corresponding images on an HDR display. The results illustrate that visual assessments obtained from the HDR display and those obtained from real-world scenes are in good agreement, validating the potential for HDR display technology as an evaluation tool in this context.