Cluster Computing https://doi.org/10.1007/s10586-017-1537-5 Performance of image transmission over MC-CDMA based on super resolution technique P. T. Vasanth Raj 1 · K. S. Vishvaksenan 1 Received: 14 September 2017 / Revised: 9 November 2017 / Accepted: 13 December 2017 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2017 Abstract Multi-carrier code-division-multiple-access (MC-CDMA) is a promising technique to obtain high data rate in wireless com- munication. Contemplation of medical image transmission for various patient’s information using MC-CDMA system through wireless media is discussed. Arnold cat map encryption algorithm is ensured to enhance the image transmission securely. At each mobile station, transmitted bit stream of encrypted images is estimated using minimum-mean-square error (MMSE) algorithm. The picture quality is ensured at the receiver by adopting super resolution through sparse technique. The per- formance of considered system through stanford channel model specification is illustrated. PSNR metric is also considered for image transmission. From the analysis, it is observed that considered MC-CDMA system with encryption algorithm and sparse based super resolution technique mitigates multi-user interference effects while retaining the quality of individual medical images. Further, it is witnessed that the channel encoded proposed system’s performance achieves the promising bit-error-rate for MMSE receiver. Furthermore, from the simulation it is discerned that the computational time for super resolution is minimized using considered sparse technique. Keywords Arnold cat map (ACM) · Code division multiple access (CDMA) · Integer wavelet transform (IWT) · Orthogonal frequency-division-multiplexing (OFDM) · Rayleigh-fading channel · Super resolution (SR) 1 Introduction Multi-carrier code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) scheme has been anticipated for the next generation wire- less networks owing to its advantages of frequency-diversity, better bandwidth efficiency and high data communication. It combines the advantages of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing and code division multiple access (CDMA). MC-CDMA system has fascinated the research community as the system has high potential to transmit picture, video at high data rate with limited bandwidth irrespective of channel conditions. Multiple-input and multiple-output system can be invoked to obtain higher spectral efficiency. But in the context of downlink communication, the size of the receiver has to be compromised. Further, complex detection algorithm is car- ried out to nullify the effects of multiple- access-interference B P. T. Vasanth Raj vasanthrajpt@ssn.edu.in K. S. Vishvaksenan vishvaksenan2000@rediffmail.com 1 SSN College of Engineering, Chennai 603110, India (MAI). Furthermore, it has been observed that the desired picture quality can’t be obtained at the receiver end due to multi-path channel fading effects. The précised picture qual- ity is essential to study patient information. While transferring image or video especially a medical reports or medical images, details of the patients are very important and it should be saved from trespassers. To trans- mit the image securely from trespassers, image has to be encrypted. There are different types of encryptions are avail- able. In this work, arnolds cat map (ACM) is considered. It is an ergodic process and mixing technique. So, for tres- passers no-win situation will occur to decrypt them. ACM will shuffle the pixels of the image. The output of the ACM will differ from the given input. Integer wavelet transform (IWT) is taken for compressing the image. The pro of IWT is decompressing (reconstructing) the compressed image is stress-free compared to other compression technique. Res- olution and textures are not degraded for the reason that it follows shift and lift procedure. From the research, it is proved that CDMA [1,2] provides better performance. When it comes to downlink commu- nication, process becomes tedious. Spectral efficiency and 123