Binocular Shape Reconstruction: Psychological Plausibility of the 8-Point Algorithm

A similarity structure (shape) of a 3-D object can be reconstructed from two perspective views of the object obtained by a calibrated camera. One of the best-known methods for performing such a reconstruction is the 8-point algorithm. To evaluate the psychological plausibility of this algorithm, we compared its performance to that of human subjects in a task of binocular shape reconstruction. Results show that the reconstructions produced by the 8-point algorithm are substantially less accurate than those produced by human subjects. We then modified the 8-point algorithm by incorporating natural constraints that are present in human binocular vision. Specifically, the new algorithm simulates a fixating system with no torsion. The performance of this algorithm is more robust in the presence of noise compared to that of the 8-point algorithm and is similar to the performance of human subjects.

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