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Median cut color quantization algorithm : retrospective

delete2026-02-01
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PRE
AI
M
M. Emre Celebi *
P
Perez-Delgado, Maria-Luisa
DOI:10.1364/JOSAA.577058delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Color quantization, reducing the number of distinct colors in a given image with minimal distortion, is a common image processing operation with many applications in visual computing. Heckbert's median cut algorithm, which dates back to the early 1980s, is generally considered the first true color quantization algorithm. Heckbert's seminal work generated numerous subsequent studies extending his algorithm in various ways. In this retrospective, we present a detailed analysis of the median cut algorithm and demonstrate how it influenced later color quantization, vector quantization, and data clustering algorithms. (c) 2026 Optica Publishing Group. All rights, including for text and data mining (TDM), Artificial Intelligence (AI)training, and similar technologies, are reserved.
Keywords:
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Journal

J
JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA A-OPTICS IMAGE SCIENCE AND VISION
IF:
0
Papers:
121
Citations:
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Organization

University of Central Arkansas cover
University of Central Arkansas
Scholars:
468
Papers: 391
Citations: 284
U
University of Salamanca
Scholars:
1.1W
Papers: 8.0K
Citations: 9