Registration without correspondences

Abstract

We present a method for registering images of complex 3D surfaces that does not require explicit correspondences between features across the images. Our method relies on the use of a full 3D model of the surface to adjust the position and orientation of the camera by minimizing an objective function based on the projections of the images onto the model. This approach constrains the camera parameters strongly enough so that the models do not need, initially, to be accurate to yield good results. When registration has been achieved, the models can be refined and the fine details recovered. Our method is applicable to the calibration of stereo imagery, the precise registration of new images of a scene and the tracking of deformable objects. It can therefore lead to important applications in fields such as augmented reality in a medical context or data compression for transmission purposes. We demonstrate its applicability by using images of faces and of terrain.