Multi-level partition of unity implicits
01 Jul 2003-Vol. 22, Iss: 3, pp 463-470
TL;DR: A new shape representation is presented, the multi-level partition of unity implicit surface, that allows us to construct surface models from very large sets of points, and can accurately represent sharp features such as edges and corners by selecting appropriate shape functions.
Abstract: We present a new shape representation, the multi-level partition of unity implicit surface, that allows us to construct surface models from very large sets of points. There are three key ingredients to our approach: 1) piecewise quadratic functions that capture the local shape of the surface, 2) weighting functions (the partitions of unity) that blend together these local shape functions, and 3) an octree subdivision method that adapts to variations in the complexity of the local shape.Our approach gives us considerable flexibility in the choice of local shape functions, and in particular we can accurately represent sharp features such as edges and corners by selecting appropriate shape functions. An error-controlled subdivision leads to an adaptive approximation whose time and memory consumption depends on the required accuracy. Due to the separation of local approximation and local blending, the representation is not global and can be created and evaluated rapidly. Because our surfaces are described using implicit functions, operations such as shape blending, offsets, deformations and CSG are simple to perform.
Citations
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26 Jun 2006
TL;DR: A spatially adaptive multiscale algorithm whose time and space complexities are proportional to the size of the reconstructed model, and which reduces to a well conditioned sparse linear system.
Abstract: We show that surface reconstruction from oriented points can be cast as a spatial Poisson problem. This Poisson formulation considers all the points at once, without resorting to heuristic spatial partitioning or blending, and is therefore highly resilient to data noise. Unlike radial basis function schemes, our Poisson approach allows a hierarchy of locally supported basis functions, and therefore the solution reduces to a well conditioned sparse linear system. We describe a spatially adaptive multiscale algorithm whose time and space complexities are proportional to the size of the reconstructed model. Experimenting with publicly available scan data, we demonstrate reconstruction of surfaces with greater detail than previously achievable.
2,712 citations
01 Aug 2004
TL;DR: A novel and versatile framework for geometric approximation of surfaces is presented, casting shape approximation as a variational geometric partitioning problem and using the concept of geometric proxies to drive the distortion error down through repeated clustering of faces into best-fitting regions.
Abstract: A method for concise, faithful approximation of complex 3D datasets is key to reducing the computational cost of graphics applications. Despite numerous applications ranging from geometry compression to reverse engineering, efficiently capturing the geometry of a surface remains a tedious task. In this paper, we present both theoretical and practical contributions that result in a novel and versatile framework for geometric approximation of surfaces. We depart from the usual strategy by casting shape approximation as a variational geometric partitioning problem. Using the concept of geometric proxies, we drive the distortion error down through repeated clustering of faces into best-fitting regions. Our approach is entirely discrete and error-driven, and does not require parameterization or local estimations of differential quantities. We also introduce a new metric based on normal deviation, and demonstrate its superior behavior at capturing anisotropy.
670 citations
01 Jul 2005
TL;DR: A robust moving least-squares technique for reconstructing a piecewise smooth surface from a potentially noisy point cloud is introduced, based on a new robust statistics method for outlier detection: the forward-search paradigm.
Abstract: We introduce a robust moving least-squares technique for reconstructing a piecewise smooth surface from a potentially noisy point cloud. We use techniques from robust statistics to guide the creation of the neighborhoods used by the moving least squares (MLS) computation. This leads to a conceptually simple approach that provides a unified framework for not only dealing with noise, but also for enabling the modeling of surfaces with sharp features.Our technique is based on a new robust statistics method for outlier detection: the forward-search paradigm. Using this powerful technique, we locally classify regions of a point-set to multiple outlier-free smooth regions. This classification allows us to project points on a locally smooth region rather than a surface that is smooth everywhere, thus defining a piecewise smooth surface and increasing the numerical stability of the projection operator. Furthermore, by treating the points across the discontinuities as outliers, we are able to define sharp features. One of the nice features of our approach is that it automatically disregards outliers during the surface-fitting phase.
584 citations
Cites background or methods from "Multi-level partition of unity impl..."
...Thus, dealing with sharp features requires fitting a number of surfaces locally [Ohtake et al. 2003; Pauly et al. 2003]....
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...For example, the classification can be used as a basis for grouping points in the MPU [Ohtake et al. 2003] method....
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...If the point data contains reliable normals, they can be used to segment local surfaces [Ohtake et al. 2003]....
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01 Aug 2004
TL;DR: A new technique for discretizing the Poisson equation on this octree grid is proposed enabling the use of fast solution methods such as preconditioned conjugate gradients and results in a non-symmetric linear system which is more computationally challenging to invert.
Abstract: We present a method for simulating water and smoke on an unrestricted octree data structure exploiting mesh refinement techniques to capture the small scale visual detail. We propose a new technique for discretizing the Poisson equation on this octree grid. The resulting linear system is symmetric positive definite enabling the use of fast solution methods such as preconditioned conjugate gradients, whereas the standard approximation to the Poisson equation on an octree grid results in a non-symmetric linear system which is more computationally challenging to invert. The semi-Lagrangian characteristic tracing technique is used to advect the velocity, smoke density, and even the level set making implementation on an octree straightforward. In the case of smoke, we have multiple refinement criteria including object boundaries, optical depth, and vorticity concentration. In the case of water, we refine near the interface as determined by the zero isocontour of the level set function.
557 citations
29 Jul 2007
TL;DR: This paper presents a new Point Set Surface (PSS) definition based on moving least squares (MLS) fitting of algebraic spheres, and presents an novel normal estimation procedure which exploits the properties of the spherical fit for both direction estimation and orientation propagation.
Abstract: In this paper we present a new Point Set Surface (PSS) definition based on moving least squares (MLS) fitting of algebraic spheres. Our surface representation can be expressed by either a projection procedure or in implicit form. The central advantages of our approach compared to existing planar MLS include significantly improved stability of the projection under low sampling rates and in the presence of high curvature. The method can approximate or interpolate the input point set and naturally handles planar point clouds. In addition, our approach provides a reliable estimate of the mean curvature of the surface at no additional cost and allows for the robust handling of sharp features and boundaries. It processes a simple point set as input, but can also take significant advantage of surface normals to improve robustness, quality and performance. We also present an novel normal estimation procedure which exploits the properties of the spherical fit for both direction estimation and orientation propagation. Very efficient computational procedures enable us to compute the algebraic sphere fitting with up to 40 million points per second on latest generation GPUs.
474 citations
References
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01 Aug 1996
TL;DR: This paper presents a volumetric method for integrating range images that is able to integrate a large number of range images yielding seamless, high-detail models of up to 2.6 million triangles.
Abstract: A number of techniques have been developed for reconstructing surfaces by integrating groups of aligned range images. A desirable set of properties for such algorithms includes: incremental updating, representation of directional uncertainty, the ability to fill gaps in the reconstruction, and robustness in the presence of outliers. Prior algorithms possess subsets of these properties. In this paper, we present a volumetric method for integrating range images that possesses all of these properties. Our volumetric representation consists of a cumulative weighted signed distance function. Working with one range image at a time, we first scan-convert it to a distance function, then combine this with the data already acquired using a simple additive scheme. To achieve space efficiency, we employ a run-length encoding of the volume. To achieve time efficiency, we resample the range image to align with the voxel grid and traverse the range and voxel scanlines synchronously. We generate the final manifold by extracting an isosurface from the volumetric grid. We show that under certain assumptions, this isosurface is optimal in the least squares sense. To fill gaps in the model, we tessellate over the boundaries between regions seen to be empty and regions never observed. Using this method, we are able to integrate a large number of range images (as many as 70) yielding seamless, high-detail models of up to 2.6 million triangles.
3,282 citations
"Multi-level partition of unity impl..." refers methods in this paper
...This notion of using confidence during surface reconstruction was advocated in [Turk and Levoy 1994; Curless and Levoy 1996]....
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01 Jul 1992
TL;DR: A general method for automatic reconstruction of accurate, concise, piecewise smooth surfaces from unorganized 3D points that is able to automatically infer the topological type of the surface, its geometry, and the presence and location of features such as boundaries, creases, and corners.
Abstract: This thesis describes a general method for automatic reconstruction of accurate, concise, piecewise smooth surfaces from unorganized 3D points. Instances of surface reconstruction arise in numerous scientific and engineering applications, including reverse-engineering--the automatic generation of CAD models from physical objects.
Previous surface reconstruction methods have typically required additional knowledge, such as structure in the data, known surface genus, or orientation information. In contrast, the method outlined in this thesis requires only the 3D coordinates of the data points. From the data, the method is able to automatically infer the topological type of the surface, its geometry, and the presence and location of features such as boundaries, creases, and corners.
The reconstruction method has three major phases: (1) initial surface estimation, (2) mesh optimization, and (3) piecewise smooth surface optimization. A key ingredient in phase 3, and another principal contribution of this thesis, is the introduction of a new class of piecewise smooth representations based on subdivision. The effectiveness of the three-phase reconstruction method is demonstrated on a number of examples using both simulated and real data.
Phases 2 and 3 of the surface reconstruction method can also be used to approximate existing surface models. By casting surface approximation as a global optimization problem with an energy function that directly measures deviation of the approximation from the original surface, models are obtained that exhibit excellent accuracy to conciseness trade-offs. Examples of piecewise linear and piecewise smooth approximations are generated for various surfaces, including meshes, NURBS surfaces, CSG models, and implicit surfaces.
3,119 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a new finite element method is presented that features the ability to include in the finite element space knowledge about the partial differential equation being solved, which can therefore be more efficient than the usual finite element methods.
Abstract: A new finite element method is presented that features the ability to include in the finite element space knowledge about the partial differential equation being solved This new method can therefore be more efficient than the usual finite element methods An additional feature of the partition-of-unity method is that finite element spaces of any desired regularity can be constructed very easily This paper includes a convergence proof of this method and illustrates its efficiency by an application to the Helmholtz equation for high wave numbers The basic estimates for a posteriori error estimation for this new method are also proved © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
2,387 citations
TL;DR: This article introduces the formal notion of the family of α-shapes of a finite point set in R 3 .
Abstract: Frequently, data in scientific computing is in its abstract form a finite point set in space, and it is sometimes useful or required to compute what one might call the “shape” of the set. For that purpose, this article introduces the formal notion of the family of a-shapes of a finite point set in R3. Each shape is a well-defined polytope, derived from the Delaunay triangulation of the point set, with a parameter a e R controlling the desired level of detail. An algorithm is presented that constructs the entire family of shapes for a given set of size n in time 0(n2), worst case. A robust implementation of the algorithm is discussed, and several applications in the area of scientific computing are mentioned.
1,980 citations
01 Aug 2001
TL;DR: It is shown that the RBF representation has advantages for mesh simplification and remeshing applications, and a greedy algorithm in the fitting process reduces the number of RBF centers required to represent a surface and results in significant compression and further computational advantages.
Abstract: We use polyharmonic Radial Basis Functions (RBFs) to reconstruct smooth, manifold surfaces from point-cloud data and to repair incomplete meshes. An object's surface is defined implicitly as the zero set of an RBF fitted to the given surface data. Fast methods for fitting and evaluating RBFs allow us to model large data sets, consisting of millions of surface points, by a single RBF — previously an impossible task. A greedy algorithm in the fitting process reduces the number of RBF centers required to represent a surface and results in significant compression and further computational advantages. The energy-minimisation characterisation of polyharmonic splines result in a “smoothest” interpolant. This scale-independent characterisation is well-suited to reconstructing surfaces from non-uniformly sampled data. Holes are smoothly filled and surfaces smoothly extrapolated. We use a non-interpolating approximation when the data is noisy. The functional representation is in effect a solid model, which means that gradients and surface normals can be determined analytically. This helps generate uniform meshes and we show that the RBF representation has advantages for mesh simplification and remeshing applications. Results are presented for real-world rangefinder data.
1,958 citations
"Multi-level partition of unity impl..." refers background or methods in this paper
...Our experiments with state-of-the-art RBF-based 3D surface reconstruction techniques such as FastRBF [Carr et al. 2001] and others suggest that the MPU method is considerably faster than these other techniques....
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...It seems that the stateof-the-art in constructing implicit functions from large sets of scattered points are RBF-based methods [Carr et al. 2001; Dinh et al. 2002; Turk and O’Brien 2002]....
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