Nature Inspired JPEG Quantization Optimization

The JPEG standard is the most used algorithm for image compression, with billions of decoders deployed in either software or hardware. The standard allows for custom quantization tables, that are transmitted in the bitstream. This work examines the application of two promising nature inspired metaheuristics, Particle Swarm Optimization and Dual Simulated Annealing, in the generation of custom, image-specific, rate-distortion optimal quantization tables for the JPEG. Our results show that this approach is capable of producing a JPEG compliant, backwards compatible images that presents a compression rate about 9% smaller than standard JPEG.