Surface Registration with a Helmholtz Reciprocity Image Pair

This paper introduces a novel surface model registration technique based on the Helmholtz reciprocity principle. Initially, a 3D surface model is generated for an object of interest. Two images of the object are then acquired under controlled lighting conditions. Given one of the images and an estimate of the surface pose, Helmholtz reciprocity is used to predict the appearance of the object surface as seen in the other image. This prediction is as accurate as one produced by a complete modeling of the BRDF of the surface, without requiring the BRDF to be explicitly measured. The position and orientation of the model are updated in order to minimize an appropriate metric of the dissimilarity between the predicted image and the observed second image. Experimental results are demonstrated for objects possessing a variety of surface properties.