Analysis of Super-Resolution Effect of Wuwei Bamboo Slips Facsimile Image Based on RealESRGAN Model

The Wuwei Bamboo Slips are an invaluable cultural heritage of ancient China, but the low resolution of the original facsimile images has hindered detailed analysis and preservation efforts. This study aims to enhance the image quality of these facsimiles using super-resolution (SR) techniques, specifically applying the RealESRGAN model, which has demonstrated superior performance in recovering image details and suppressing noise. Different versions of the RealESRGAN model, including RealESRGAN-x4plus, RealESRGAN-x4plus-anime, and RealESRGAN-animevideov3, were applied to the Wuwei Bamboo Slips facsimile images at varying magnifications (<tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$2x, 3x$</tex>, and <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$4x$</tex>). The performance of each model was evaluated using Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) and Structural Similarity Index (SSIM) as metrics. The experimental results show that the RealESRGAN-animevideov3-x4 model performs best in detail recovery and image clarity, particularly at 2x and 3x magnifications, although errors were encountered at <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$4x$</tex> magnification due to hardware limitations. This research demonstrates the potential of RealESRGAN models for the digital preservation of cultural heritage, while also highlighting the challenges related to high magnification and hardware constraints, suggesting the need for future model optimizations.