Proactive 3D scanning of inaccessible parts

Abstract

The evolution of 3D scanning technologies have revolutionized the way real-world object are digitally acquired. Nowadays, high-definition and high-speed scanners can capture even large scale scenes with very high accuracy. Nevertheless, the acquisition of complete 3D objects remains a bottleneck, requiring to carefully sample the whole object's surface, similar to a coverage process. Holes and undersampled regions are common in 3D scans of complex-shaped objects with self occlusions and hidden interiors. In this paper we introduce the novel paradigm of proactive scanning , in which the user actively modifies the scene while scanning it, in order to reveal and access occluded regions. We take a holistic approach and integrate the user interaction into the continuous scanning process. Our algorithm allows for dynamic modifications of the scene as part of a global 3D scanning process. We utilize a scan registration algorithm to compute motion trajectories and separate between user modifications and other motions such as (hand-held) camera movements and small deformations. Thus, we reconstruct together the static parts into a complete unified 3D model. We evaluate our technique by scanning and reconstructing 3D objects and scenes consisting of inaccessible regions such as interiors, entangled plants and clutter.