Textured 3D models derived automatically from photographs

Abstract

Photogrammetry is the general term given to the process of deriving some 3D quantity from photographs. While it has a long history in the derivation of terrain models, in more recent times advances in algorithms in computer science and machine vision has seen the derivation of full 3D textured models. These techniques and subsequent models find application in a range of disciplines including engineering, medicine, geology, and archaeology. In this paper the current state of the art of automatic 3D reconstruction from photographs will be presented along with practical applications in archaeology and heritage, in particular the capture of heritage objects as a rich digital record, for research and presentation.