Blind Image Quality Assessment Using Convolutional Neural Networks

In the domain of image and multimedia processing, image quality is a critical factor, as it directly influences the performance of subsequent tasks such as compression, transmission, and content analysis. Reliable assessment of image quality is therefore essential not only for benchmarking algorithms but also for ensuring user satisfaction in real-world multimedia applications. The most advanced Blind image quality assessment (BIQA) methods are typically built upon deep learning models and rely on complex architectures that, while effective, require substantial computational resources and large-scale training datasets. This complexity can limit their scalability and practical deployment, particularly in resource-constrained environments. In this paper, we revisit a model inspired by one of the early applications of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) in BIQA and demonstrate that by leveraging recent advancements in machine learning-such as Bayesian hyperparameter optimization and widely used stochastic optimization methods (e.g., Adam)-it is possible to achieve competitive performance using a simpler, more scalable, and lightweight architecture. To evaluate the proposed approach, we conducted extensive experiments on widely used benchmark datasets, including TID2013 and KADID-10k. The results show that the proposed model achieves competitive performance while maintaining a substantially more efficient design. These findings suggest that lightweight CNN-based models, when combined with modern optimization strategies, can serve as a viable alternative to more elaborate frameworks, offering an improved balance between accuracy, efficiency, and scalability.