YOLO-SOD: Color probability map-based fuzzy framework using deep models for face detection

Aniqa Saba, Muhammad Faizan Shirazi, Yawar Rehman and Muhammad Mubashir Khan

PLOS ONE, 2026, vol. 21, issue 10, 1-29

Abstract: Detecting small faces remains challenging due to scale variation and limited discriminative cues at low resolutions. We address this with a two-pronged approach. First, we modify YOLOv5 by adding extra convolutional layers and small-object–focused detection heads that operate on larger, higher-resolution backbone feature maps, improving sensitivity to tiny targets. Second, we introduce a dynamic, image adaptive patching strategy for scale selection. We compute Cr channel color probability maps and measure the number and density of pixel clusters; a Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) uses these cues to select the most suitable patch size for near and far faces. On the WIDER FACE benchmark, our method attains 93.07% mAP@50 (Easy), 91.25% mAP@50 (Medium), and 84.45% mAP@50 (Hard). On our proposed local dataset, the proposed model achieves 49.36% mAP@50 for different size faces. Beyond faces, the approach generalizes to small object detection on VisDrone-DET2019, reaching 46.76 mAP@50. These results demonstrate that coupling small-object-aware architecture design with color-guided, fuzzy patch selection yields competitive mAP@50 for small and distant targets.

Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0360794

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0360794

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