Ontology Based Shape Annotation and Retrieval

In this paper, 3D shape retrieval methodology suited for search in special category of 3D shape is presented. The proposed approach employs a fully unsupervised segmentation algorithm to decompose 3D models into components. Shape distribution vectors describing the resulting components are extracted and together with connectivity relations identify a 3D model. The 3D-shapes we are interested in this paper are models of furniture. Ontology of furniture that we started building will be used in annotation and then key word based retrieval of furniture models. A mapping between low level features extracted by the above mentioned algorithm and ontology concepts is performed. The proposed approach bridges the gap between keyword-based approaches and query-by-example approaches by using not only the low-level features but also a domain ontology.