A Solution to the Next Best View Problem for Automated CAD Model Acquisition of Free-Form Objects Using Range Cameras

Abstract

To acquire the complete surface description of a nontrivial object using range cameras several range images from different viewpoints are needed. We present a complete system to automatically acquire a surface model of an arbitrary part and outline the constraints this system places on a solution to the problem of where to position the range camera to take the next range image, i.e. the next best view (NBV) problem. We present a solution which uses no a-priori knowledge about the part and which addresses the most crucial of these constraints which is that each new range image must contain range data of part of the object's surface already scanned so that it can be registered with the previously taken range images. A novel representation, positional space, is presented which is capable of representing both those hypothetical sampling directions which could scan the unseen portions of the viewing volume and those which could rescan parts of the object. In addition, positional space makes...