Pii: S0010-4485(98)00080-3

We present a new approach to medial axis transform and offset curve computation. Our algorithm is based on the domain decomposition scheme which reduces a complicated domain into a union of simple subdomains each of which is very easy to handle. This domain decomposition approach gives rise to the decomposition of the corresponding medial axis transform which is regarded as a geometric graph in the three dimensional Minkowski space R. Each simple piece of the domain, called the fundamental domain, corresponds to a space-like curve in R. Then using the new spline, called the Minkowski Pythagorean hodograph curve which was recently introduced, we approximate within the desired degree of accuracy the curve part of the medial axis transform with a G cubic spline of Minkowski Pythagorean hodograph. This curve has the property of enabling us to write all offset curves as rational curves. Further, this Minkowski Pythagorean hodograph curve representation together with the domain decomposition lemma makes the trimming process essentially trivial. We give a simple procedure to obtain the trimmed offset curves in terms of the radius function of the MPH curve representing the medial axis transform. q 1999 Elsevier Science Limited. All rights reserved.