Digital Video Stabilization Techniques: A Survey

Digital video stabilization (DVS) techniques have been developing for over 30 years. The improvement of device computing ability, the research on related algorithms as well as the market needs have always been driving the development of DVS techniques: from simple solutions aimed at computing simplicity in early years to complex solutions aimed at stabilization effect, and further to advanced solutions trying to meet both computing simplicity and stabilization effect in recent years. In this survey, we first analyze the existing DVS techniques chronologically and then classify them into two basic catalogues: traditional techniques and emerging techniques. Traditional techniques are strictly based on typical motion models and rely on image processing algorithms for motion estimation. Emerging techniques relax the motion models and introduce novel techniques for motion estimation. According to the motion model they adopt, the traditional techniques are further divided into traditional 2D techniques and traditional 3D techniques. Similarly, the emerging techniques are further divided into emerging 2D techniques and sensor-based techniques. In each technique survey, we first analyze the key techniques it relies on and then list its applications in DVS. Finally, we summarize the existing DVS techniques and look into the challenges and developing trend of DVS techniques in the future.