Closed-form solution of absolute orientation using unit quaternions

Abstract

Finding the relationship between two coordinate systems using pairs of measurements of the coordinates of a number of points in both systems is a classic photogrammetric task . It finds applications i n stereoph and in robotics . I present here a closed-form solution to the least-squares problem for three or more paints . Currently various empirical, graphical, and numerical iterative methods are in use . Derivation of the solution i s simplified by use of unit quaternions to represent rotation . I emphasize a symmetry property that a solution to thi s problem ought to possess . The best translational offset is the difference between the centroid of the coordinates i n one system and the rotated and scaled centroid of the coordinates in the other system . The best scale is equal to th e ratio of the root-mean-square deviations of the coordinates in the two systems from their respective centroids . These exact results are to be preferred to approximate methods based on measurements of a few selected points . The unit quaternion representing the best rotation is the eigenvector associated with the most positive eigenvalue o f a symmetric 4 X 4 matrix . The elements of this matrix are combinations of sums of products of correspondin g coordinates of the points .