Illumination independent color-based face detection

Computer vision is one out of many areas that want to understand the process of human functionality and copy that process with intention to complement human life with intelligent machines. For better human-computer interaction it is necessary for the machine to see people. This can be achieved by employing face detection algorithms, like the one used in the installation "15 Seconds of Fame" (F. Solina et al., 2002). Mentioned installation unites the areas of modern art and technology. Its algorithm is based on skin-color detection. One of the problems this and similar algorithms have to deal with is sensitivity to the illumination conditions under which the input image is captured. Hence illumination sensitivity influences face detection results. This problem is being more or less successfully solved by the use of color compensation and color constancy methods. In this work some of these methods are described, realized and tested. Their basic intention is to eliminate the influence of non-standard illumination from images. Tests that were performed showed that methods apply positive influence on face detection results.