A Lightweight Multi-Scale Context Detail Network for Efficient Target Detection in Resource-Constrained Environments

Target detection in resource-constrained environments faces multiple challenges such as the use of camouflage, diverse target sizes, and harsh environmental conditions. Moreover, the need for solutions suitable for edge computing environments, which have limited computational resources, adds complex...

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Main Authors: Kaipeng Wang, Guanglin He, Xinmin Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Sensors
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/12/3800
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author Kaipeng Wang
Guanglin He
Xinmin Li
author_facet Kaipeng Wang
Guanglin He
Xinmin Li
author_sort Kaipeng Wang
collection DOAJ
description Target detection in resource-constrained environments faces multiple challenges such as the use of camouflage, diverse target sizes, and harsh environmental conditions. Moreover, the need for solutions suitable for edge computing environments, which have limited computational resources, adds complexity to the task. To meet these challenges, we propose MSCDNet (Multi-Scale Context Detail Network), an innovative and lightweight architecture designed specifically for efficient target detection in such environments. MSCDNet integrates three key components: the Multi-Scale Fusion Module, which improves the representation of features at various target scales; the Context Merge Module, which enables adaptive feature integration across scales to handle a wide range of target conditions; and the Detail Enhance Module, which emphasizes preserving crucial edge and texture details for detecting camouflaged targets. Extensive evaluations highlight the effectiveness of MSCDNet, which achieves 40.1% mAP50-95, 86.1% precision, and 68.1% recall while maintaining a low computational load with only 2.22 M parameters and 6.0 G FLOPs. When compared to other models, MSCDNet outperforms YOLO-family variants by 1.9% in mAP50-95 and uses 14% fewer parameters. Additional generalization tests on VisDrone2019 and BDD100K further validate its robustness, with improvements of 1.1% in mAP50 on VisDrone and 1.2% in mAP50-95 on BDD100K over baseline models. These results affirm that MSCDNet is well suited for tactical deployment in scenarios with limited computational resources, where reliable target detection is paramount.
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spelling doaj-art-ebd756dafdbd495aab5b383dc66ebbba2025-08-20T02:21:58ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202025-06-012512380010.3390/s25123800A Lightweight Multi-Scale Context Detail Network for Efficient Target Detection in Resource-Constrained EnvironmentsKaipeng Wang0Guanglin He1Xinmin Li2Science and Technology on Electromechanical Dynamic Control Laboratory, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, ChinaScience and Technology on Electromechanical Dynamic Control Laboratory, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, ChinaScience and Technology on Electromechanical Dynamic Control Laboratory, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, ChinaTarget detection in resource-constrained environments faces multiple challenges such as the use of camouflage, diverse target sizes, and harsh environmental conditions. Moreover, the need for solutions suitable for edge computing environments, which have limited computational resources, adds complexity to the task. To meet these challenges, we propose MSCDNet (Multi-Scale Context Detail Network), an innovative and lightweight architecture designed specifically for efficient target detection in such environments. MSCDNet integrates three key components: the Multi-Scale Fusion Module, which improves the representation of features at various target scales; the Context Merge Module, which enables adaptive feature integration across scales to handle a wide range of target conditions; and the Detail Enhance Module, which emphasizes preserving crucial edge and texture details for detecting camouflaged targets. Extensive evaluations highlight the effectiveness of MSCDNet, which achieves 40.1% mAP50-95, 86.1% precision, and 68.1% recall while maintaining a low computational load with only 2.22 M parameters and 6.0 G FLOPs. When compared to other models, MSCDNet outperforms YOLO-family variants by 1.9% in mAP50-95 and uses 14% fewer parameters. Additional generalization tests on VisDrone2019 and BDD100K further validate its robustness, with improvements of 1.1% in mAP50 on VisDrone and 1.2% in mAP50-95 on BDD100K over baseline models. These results affirm that MSCDNet is well suited for tactical deployment in scenarios with limited computational resources, where reliable target detection is paramount.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/12/3800target detectionlightweight neural networkmulti-scale feature fusioncontext-aware modulationedge computing
spellingShingle Kaipeng Wang
Guanglin He
Xinmin Li
A Lightweight Multi-Scale Context Detail Network for Efficient Target Detection in Resource-Constrained Environments
Sensors
target detection
lightweight neural network
multi-scale feature fusion
context-aware modulation
edge computing
title A Lightweight Multi-Scale Context Detail Network for Efficient Target Detection in Resource-Constrained Environments
title_full A Lightweight Multi-Scale Context Detail Network for Efficient Target Detection in Resource-Constrained Environments
title_fullStr A Lightweight Multi-Scale Context Detail Network for Efficient Target Detection in Resource-Constrained Environments
title_full_unstemmed A Lightweight Multi-Scale Context Detail Network for Efficient Target Detection in Resource-Constrained Environments
title_short A Lightweight Multi-Scale Context Detail Network for Efficient Target Detection in Resource-Constrained Environments
title_sort lightweight multi scale context detail network for efficient target detection in resource constrained environments
topic target detection
lightweight neural network
multi-scale feature fusion
context-aware modulation
edge computing
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/12/3800
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AT xinminli alightweightmultiscalecontextdetailnetworkforefficienttargetdetectioninresourceconstrainedenvironments
AT kaipengwang lightweightmultiscalecontextdetailnetworkforefficienttargetdetectioninresourceconstrainedenvironments
AT guanglinhe lightweightmultiscalecontextdetailnetworkforefficienttargetdetectioninresourceconstrainedenvironments
AT xinminli lightweightmultiscalecontextdetailnetworkforefficienttargetdetectioninresourceconstrainedenvironments