Spherical panorama compositing through depth estimation

In this paper, we propose to work in the 2.5D space of the scene to facilitate composition of new spherical panoramas. For adding depths to spherical panoramas, we extend an existing method that was designed to estimate relative depths from a single perspective image through user interaction. We analyze the difficulties to interactively provide such depth information for spherical panoramas, through three different types of presentation. Then, we propose a set of basic tools to interactively manage the relative depths of the panoramas in order to obtain a composition in a very simple way. We conclude that the relative depths obtained by the extended depth estimation method are enough for the purpose of compositing new photorealistic panoramas through a few elementary editing tools.

Elaboration of New Viewing Modes in CATIA CAD for Lighting Simulation Purpose

During integration of lighting simulation systems into CATIA CAD often are needed additional view modes initially absent in this CAD. This article describes adding such view modes directly in CATIA workspace window using CATIA’s native CAA RADE programming environment. Adding these new view modes can significantly simplify user’s preparation of data for lighting simulation. Here the following additional view modes are mentioned: geometry tessellation to triangular meshes (in the wireframe mode), heat map dis-play of the optical values distribution over the scene, and spherical panorama preview. In the paper the problems which may occur while trying to redraw the additional data in real time are described and possible ways of solving or by-passing them are proposed. Using the new display modes provides a possibility of tuning some scene parameters and viewing preliminary results immediately while rendering of such scenes may take several hours. Such additional functionality can significantly increase the modeling process.

An algorithm for the restoration of blurred image obtained with a rotating camera tilted to the horizon

This work is a continuation of the authors’ previous publications, in which the restoration of images obtained with a horizontally rotating camera was considered. In this paper, a mathematical model is constructed for reconstructing blurred images obtained with a camera rotating in the horizontal plane and having its optical axis tilted at an angle to the horizon. The method of image restoration involves constructing a strip of spherical panorama from the original images. Results of numerical experiments that confirm the good quality of the presented image recovery method and the high performance of the developed algorithm are presented.

Creating high fidelity 360° virtual reality with high dynamic range spherical panorama images

This research explores the development of a novel method and apparatus for creating spherical panoramas enhanced with high dynamic range (HDR) for high fidelity Virtual Reality 360 degree (VR360) user experiences. A VR360 interactive panorama presentation using spherical panoramas can provide virtual interactivity and wider viewing coverage; with three degrees of freedom, users can look around in multiple directions within the VR360 experiences, gaining the sense of being in control of their own engagement. This degree of freedom is facilitated by the use of mobile displays or head-mount-devices. However, in terms of image reproduction, the exposure range can be a major difficulty in reproducing a high contrast real-world scene. Imaging variables caused by difficulties and obstacles can occur during the production process of spherical panorama facilitated with HDR. This may result in inaccurate image reproduction for location-based subjects, which will in turn result in a poor VR360 user experience. In this article we describe a HDR spherical panorama reproduction approach (workflow and best practice) which can shorten the production processes, and reduce imaging variables, and technical obstacles and issues to a minimum. This leads to improved photographic image reproduction with fewer visual abnormalities for VR360 experiences, which can be adaptable into a wide range of interactive design applications. We describe the process in detail and also report on a user study that shows the proposed approach creates images which viewers prefer, on the whole, to those created using more complicated HDR methods, or to those created without the use of HDR at all.