Function-based recognition from incomplete knowledge of shape

The paper describes a function-based reasoning system that analyzes incomplete object shape descriptions of the type that can be acquired from a single view or from a sequence of views in which not all of the object is seen. Results are presented for the analysis of the partial shape descriptions extracted from over 200 real laser range finder images taken by a mobile robot. The work represents the first function-based recognition system to reason from incomplete knowledge of 3D object shape and also the first to analyze 3D shape descriptions acquired from real image data. Results demonstrate that function based recognition is a feasible and practical capability to pursue for autonomous robotic systems. >