Methods of 3D Object Shape Acquisition

This chapter contains an overview of methods for a 3D object shape from both the surface and the internal structure of the objects. The acquisition methods of interest are optical methods based on objects surface image processing and CT/NMR sensors that explore the object volume structure. The chapter also describes some methods for 3D shape processing. The focus is on 3D surface shape acquisition methods based on multiple views, methods using single view video sequences, and methods that use a single view with a controlled light source. In addition, the volume methods represented by CT/NMR are covered as well. A set of algorithms suitable for the acquired 3D data processing and simplification are shown to demonstrate how the models data can be processed. Finally, the chapter discusses future directions and then draws conclusions.