3D modeling and rendering from multiple wide-baseline images by match propagation

In this paper, we present a method for modeling a complex scene from a small set of input images taken from widely separated viewpoints and then synthesizing novel views. First, we find sparse correspondences across multiple input images and calibrate these input images taken with unknown cameras. Then one of the input images is chosen as the reference image for modeling by match propagation. A sparse set of reliably matched pixels in the reference image is initially selected and then propagated to neighboring pixels based on both the clustering-based light invariant photoconsistency constraint and the data-driven depth smoothness constraint, which are integrated into a pixel matching quality function to efficiently deal with occlusions, light changes and depth discontinuity. Finally, a novel view rendering algorithm is developed to fast synthesize a novel view by match propagation again. Experimental results show that the proposed method can produce good scene models from a small set of widely separated images and synthesize novel views in good quality. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.