Image compression using wavelets

Abstract

This paper briefly introduces the theory behind the wavelet transform and overviews the implementation of a wavelet image compressor. Emphasis is placed on the implementation and efficiency of a system, rather than the intriguing mathematical details. Both quantitative and subjective evaluations were performed on images compressed with the wavelet compressor, and comparisons were made with images compressed with JPEG compression. It is concluded that wavelet compression is a better choice over JPEG compression, especially when very high compression ratios are required.