Building 3D Graphical Models of Complex Objects

A system is presented for the automated reconstruction of complete 3D models of arbitrarily shaped objects from multiple 2.5D range images. The system enables reliable reconstruction of 3D models of complex objects. This is achieved without a priori knowledge about the object to be modelled. Potential application domains include reverse engineering of 3D models for graphics and CAD. Geometric fusion is achieved by integration of multiple range images into a single 3D implicit surface representation. The implicit surface provides a framework for integrating redundant overlapping measurements based on the local surface geometry. This ensures accurate representation of the measured surface geometry and topology for complex objects. Triangulated 3D models are then reconstructed using an implicit surface polygonisation algorithm. `Marching Cubes' provides a standard algorithm for implicit surface polygonisation. However, this algorithm results in an ineecient model and requires all measurements to be made prior to model construction. These limitations are addressed by the introduction of a new implicit surface polygonisation algorithm called`Marching Triangles'. The new algorithm is based on a local 3D constraint which ensures the resulting model is a 3D Delaunay surface triangulation. Marching Triangles constructs an eecient representation and enables dynamic integration of new measurements. Results are demonstrated of reliable 3D model reconstruction for complex objects.