Qualitative 3-D models

Willie Y. Lim

doi:10.1117/12.20017

1 January 1990 Qualitative 3-D models

Willie Y. Lim

Proceedings Volume 1260, Sensing and Reconstruction of Three-Dimensional Objects and Scenes; (1990) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.20017
Event: Electronic Imaging: Advanced Devices and Systems, 1990, Santa Clara, CA, United States

Abstract

Rocks can be effectively used as landmarks for robot navigation through rocky terrains. For the robot to do this, it has to be able to automatically build models of rocks. For the rocks world, models containing qualitatively described surfaces are used. A rock is modeled as a graph. The surface of the rock is decomposed into surface patches separated by crude edges. Each surface patch is represented by a node in the graph. The arcs represent the adjacency relationships between the surface patches. To build such a model, the following approach is taken. For a scene composing of a single approximately convex object, easily distinguishable from its background, a silhouette of the object is obtained. The silhouette is partitioned into crude segments according to the general shape of the segments. Each segment is typed as either concave, convex or straight. The classification is done by measuring the mean and standard deviation of distances of points of the segment from the straight line joining its ends. The qualitative model for the rock is built by initially assuming that the silhouette is a cross-sectional view of the rock. A simple cyclic graph composing of nodes with surface types consistent with the segment types is built. Thus a five segment silhoutte composing of three convex, a straight and a concave segment results in a graph with 5 nodes, three of which are convex surfaces, one flat (corresponding to the straight silhouette segment) and the other concave. The model is improved by moving the camera to a different position and obtaining another silhouette. From the positions of the camera and the segment types, either new nodes are created or the surface types of the currently existing nodes are modified. A method for automatically building such models is discussed.

Citation Download Citation

Willie Y. Lim "Qualitative 3-D models", Proc. SPIE 1260, Sensing and Reconstruction of Three-Dimensional Objects and Scenes, (1 January 1990); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.20017

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