Gaussian-Based Hue Descriptors

A robust and accurate hue descriptor that is useful in modeling human color perception and for computer vision applications is explored. The hue descriptor is based on the peak wavelength of a Gaussian-like function (called a wraparound Gaussian) and is shown to correlate as well as CIECAM02 hue to the hue designators of papers from the Munsell and Natural Color System color atlases and to the hue names found in Moroney’s Color Thesaurus. The new hue descriptor is also shown to be significantly more stable under a variety of illuminants than CIECAM02. The use of wraparound Gaussians as a hue model is similar in spirit to the use of subtractive Gaussians proposed by Mizokami et al., but overcomes many of their limitations.