Depth-aware Image-Space Fogging Algorithm for Background Privacy Protection using ZoeDepth Framework

Fogging algorithms are typically employed in fog dataset construction, natural scene generation for games, and fog scene rendering. This paper proposes a novel depth-aware image-space fogging algorithm for background privacy protection, leveraging the ZoeDepth depth estimation framework and atmospheric scattering model. The algorithm first estimates depth maps from single images using ZoeDepth, enabling segmentation into foreground and background regions. Subsequently, by integrating the atmospheric scattering model and an improved dark channel prior algorithm, the algorithm applies fogging processing to the background regions, transitioning naturally from near to far without retaining identifiable information. Evaluation metrics, including Mean Squared Error (MSE), Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR), Structural Similarity Index (SSIM), and Information Entropy, demonstrate that the proposed approach preserves details and structural information in the foreground while effectively blurring background information. This method offers a practical solution for image privacy protection in diverse domains such as security, social media, and military applications, where background privacy is paramount.