# ODSmoothGrad: Generating Saliency Maps for Object Detectors

Source: [ODSmoothGrad: Generating Saliency Maps for Object Detectors](<https://www.sota2.com/research/paper/68fa6f151e209131cea43c85>)

Collection index: [llms.txt](<https://www.sota2.com/research/llms.txt>)

Data updated: 2025-10-26T01:13:37.852Z

Authors: Chul Gwon, Steven C. Howell

Published: 2023-04-15T18:21:56.000Z

## Abstract

Techniques for generating saliency maps continue to be used for explainability of deep learning models, with efforts primarily applied to the image classification task. Such techniques, however, can also be applied to object detectors, not only with the classification scores, but also for the bounding box parameters, which are regressed values for which the relevant pixels contributing to these parameters can be identified. In this paper, we present ODSmoothGrad, a tool for generating saliency maps for the classification and the bounding box parameters in object detectors. Given the noisiness of saliency maps, we also apply the SmoothGrad algorithm to visually enhance the pixels of interest. We demonstrate these capabilities on one-stage and two-stage object detectors, with comparisons using classifier-based techniques.

## Recorded benchmark results

A research result applies to its stated dataset, split, metric and evaluation configuration. Compare like-for-like settings, preserve the metric's unit and direction, and distinguish paper-reported results from independent reproduction. The best result recorded here is not a claim of exhaustive, current global coverage.

## Original sources and implementation

[Original paper](<https://arxiv.org/abs/2304.07609>)

[PDF](<https://arxiv.org/pdf/2304.07609.pdf>)