1. A signal-processing system comprising: a memory for storing machine readable instructions; and a processing unit to access the memory and execute the machine readable instructions, the machine readable instructions comprising: a signal-processing routine executed by the processing component that enhances an input image to produce an output image with enhanced depth perception relative to the input image by: computing a soft-segmented image from the input image, wherein the soft-segmented image comprises a plurality of partitions of the input image, wherein each partition of the input image comprises a relatively homogenous region, with a flat contrast and abrupt, high contrast edges; and deriving, from the soft-segmented image and the input image, the enhanced, output image with enhanced depth perception; wherein the output image with enhanced depth perception is locally contrast enhanced to provide, to a viewer of the output image with enhanced depth perception, a greater perception of depth, due to enhancement of contrast between shaded and illuminated portions of objects with respect to the input image; and wherein the flat contrast of the relatively homogenous region of each partition of the soft-segmented image is approximately equal to a definable function of a local average of a corresponding segment in the output image with enhanced depth perception, and the high contrast edges of each partition of the soft-segmented image corresponds in location to high contrast edges in the output image with enhanced depth perception.