DBnet: A Lightweight Dual-Backbone Target Detection Model Based on Side-Scan Sonar Images

Due to the large number of parameters and high computational complexity of current target detection models, it is challenging to perform fast and accurate target detection in side-scan sonar images under the existing technical conditions, especially in environments with limited computational resourc...

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Main Authors: Quanhong Ma, Shaohua Jin, Gang Bian, Yang Cui, Guoqing Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/13/1/155
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author Quanhong Ma
Shaohua Jin
Gang Bian
Yang Cui
Guoqing Liu
author_facet Quanhong Ma
Shaohua Jin
Gang Bian
Yang Cui
Guoqing Liu
author_sort Quanhong Ma
collection DOAJ
description Due to the large number of parameters and high computational complexity of current target detection models, it is challenging to perform fast and accurate target detection in side-scan sonar images under the existing technical conditions, especially in environments with limited computational resources. Moreover, since the original waterfall map of side-scan sonar only consists of echo intensity information, which is usually of a large size, it is difficult to fuse it with other multi-source information, which limits the detection accuracy of models. To address these issues, we designed DBnet, a lightweight target detector featuring two lightweight backbone networks (PP-LCNet and GhostNet) and a streamlined neck structure for feature extraction and fusion. To solve the problem of unbalanced aspect ratios in sonar data waterfall maps, DBnet employs the SAHI algorithm with sliding-window slicing inference to improve small-target detection accuracy. Compared with the baseline model, DBnet has 33% fewer parameters and 31% fewer GFLOPs while maintaining accuracy. Tests performed on two datasets (SSUTD and SCTD) showed that the mAP values improved by 2.3% and 6.6%.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2077-1312
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
spelling doaj-art-96b806e431954fe39b000b805802508c2025-01-24T13:37:03ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122025-01-0113115510.3390/jmse13010155DBnet: A Lightweight Dual-Backbone Target Detection Model Based on Side-Scan Sonar ImagesQuanhong Ma0Shaohua Jin1Gang Bian2Yang Cui3Guoqing Liu4Department of Oceanography and Hydrography, Dalian Naval Academy, Dalian 116018, ChinaDepartment of Oceanography and Hydrography, Dalian Naval Academy, Dalian 116018, ChinaDepartment of Oceanography and Hydrography, Dalian Naval Academy, Dalian 116018, ChinaDepartment of Oceanography and Hydrography, Dalian Naval Academy, Dalian 116018, ChinaDepartment of Oceanography and Hydrography, Dalian Naval Academy, Dalian 116018, ChinaDue to the large number of parameters and high computational complexity of current target detection models, it is challenging to perform fast and accurate target detection in side-scan sonar images under the existing technical conditions, especially in environments with limited computational resources. Moreover, since the original waterfall map of side-scan sonar only consists of echo intensity information, which is usually of a large size, it is difficult to fuse it with other multi-source information, which limits the detection accuracy of models. To address these issues, we designed DBnet, a lightweight target detector featuring two lightweight backbone networks (PP-LCNet and GhostNet) and a streamlined neck structure for feature extraction and fusion. To solve the problem of unbalanced aspect ratios in sonar data waterfall maps, DBnet employs the SAHI algorithm with sliding-window slicing inference to improve small-target detection accuracy. Compared with the baseline model, DBnet has 33% fewer parameters and 31% fewer GFLOPs while maintaining accuracy. Tests performed on two datasets (SSUTD and SCTD) showed that the mAP values improved by 2.3% and 6.6%.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/13/1/155SSSdeep learninglightweight networkDBnet
spellingShingle Quanhong Ma
Shaohua Jin
Gang Bian
Yang Cui
Guoqing Liu
DBnet: A Lightweight Dual-Backbone Target Detection Model Based on Side-Scan Sonar Images
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
SSS
deep learning
lightweight network
DBnet
title DBnet: A Lightweight Dual-Backbone Target Detection Model Based on Side-Scan Sonar Images
title_full DBnet: A Lightweight Dual-Backbone Target Detection Model Based on Side-Scan Sonar Images
title_fullStr DBnet: A Lightweight Dual-Backbone Target Detection Model Based on Side-Scan Sonar Images
title_full_unstemmed DBnet: A Lightweight Dual-Backbone Target Detection Model Based on Side-Scan Sonar Images
title_short DBnet: A Lightweight Dual-Backbone Target Detection Model Based on Side-Scan Sonar Images
title_sort dbnet a lightweight dual backbone target detection model based on side scan sonar images
topic SSS
deep learning
lightweight network
DBnet
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/13/1/155
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AT shaohuajin dbnetalightweightdualbackbonetargetdetectionmodelbasedonsidescansonarimages
AT gangbian dbnetalightweightdualbackbonetargetdetectionmodelbasedonsidescansonarimages
AT yangcui dbnetalightweightdualbackbonetargetdetectionmodelbasedonsidescansonarimages
AT guoqingliu dbnetalightweightdualbackbonetargetdetectionmodelbasedonsidescansonarimages