Current Multi-View Stereo (MVS) algorithms are tools for high-quality 3D model reconstruction, strongly depending on image spatial resolution. In this context, the combination of image Super-Resolution (SR) with image-based 3D reconstruction is turning into an interesting research topic in photogrammetry, around which however only a few works have been reported so far in the literature. Here, a thorough study is carried out on various state-of-the-art image SR techniques to evaluate the suitability of such an approach in terms of its inclusion in the 3D reconstruction process. Deep-learning techniques are tested here on a UAV image dataset, while the MVS task is then performed via the Agisoft Metashape photogrammetric tool. The data under experimentation are oblique cultural heritage imagery. According to results, point clouds from low-resolution images present quality inferior to those from upsampled high-resolution ones. The SR techniques HAT and DRLN outperform bicubic interpolation, yielding high precision/recall scores for the differences of reconstructed 3D point clouds from the reference surface. The current study indicates spatial image resolution increased by SR techniques may indeed be advantageous for state-of-the art photogrammetric 3D reconstruction.

In recent years, a demand for 3D models of various scales and precisions has been growing for a wide range of applications; among them, cultural heritage recording is a particularly important and challenging field. We outline an automatic 3D reconstruction pipeline, mainly focusing on dense stereo-matching which relies on a hierarchical, local optimization scheme. Our matching framework consists of a combination of robust cost measures, extracted via an intuitive cost aggregation support area and set within a coarse-tofine strategy. The cost function is formulated by combining three individual costs: a cost computed on an extended census transformation of the images; the absolute difference cost, taking into account information from colour channels; and a cost based on the principal image derivatives. An efficient adaptive method of aggregating matching cost for each pixel is then applied, relying on linearly expanded cross skeleton support regions. Aggregated cost is smoothed via a 3D Gaussian function. Finally, a simple "winnertakes- all" approach extracts the disparity value with minimum cost. This keeps algorithmic complexity and system computational requirements acceptably low for high resolution images (or real-time applications), when compared to complex matching functions of global formulations. The stereo algorithm adopts a hierarchical scheme to accommodate high-resolution images and complex scenes. In a last step, a robust post-processing work-flow is applied to enhance the disparity map and, consequently, the geometric quality of the reconstructed scene. Successful results from our implementation, which combines pre-existing algorithms and novel considerations, are presented and evaluated on the Middlebury platform.

The now widely available and highly popular among non-expert users, particularly in the context of UAV photogrammetry, Structure-from-Motion (SfM) pipelines have also further renewed the interest in the issue of automatic camera calibration. The well-documented requirements for robust self-calibration cannot be always met, e.g. due to restrictions in time and cost, absence of ground control and image tilt, terrain morphology, unsuitable flight configuration etc.; hence, camera pre-calibration is frequently recommended. In this context, users often resort to flexible, user-friendly tools for camera calibration based on 2D coded patterns (primarily ordinary chessboards). Yet, the physical size of such patterns poses obvious limitations. This paper discusses the alternative of extending the size of the calibration object by using multiple unordered coplanar chessboards, which might accommodate much larger imaging distances. This is done initially by a detailed simulation to show that – in terms of geometry – this could be a viable alternative to single patterns. A first algorithmic implementation is then laid out, and results from real multi-pattern configurations, both ordered and unordered, are successfully compared. However, aspects of the proposed approach need to be further studied for its reliable practical employment.

Recently, one of the central issues in the fields of Photogrammetry, Computer Vision, Computer Graphics and Image Processing is the development of tools for the automatic reconstruction of complex 3D objects. Among various approaches, one of the most promising is Structured Light 3D scanning (SL) which combines automation and high accuracy with low cost, given the steady decrease in price of cameras and projectors. SL relies on the projection of different light patterns, by means of a video projector, on 3D object sur faces, which are recorded by one or more digital cameras. Automatic pattern identification on images allows reconstructing the shape of recorded 3D objects via triangulation of the optical rays corresponding to projector and camera pixels. Models draped with realistic phototexture may be thus also generated, reproducing both geometry and appearance of the 3D world. In this context, subject of our research is a synthesis of state-of-the-art as well as the development of novel algorithms, in order to implement a 3D scanning system consisting, at this stage, of one consumer digital camera (DSLR) and a video projector. In the following, the main principles of structured light scanning and the algorithms implemented in our system are presented, and results are given to demonstrate the potential of such a system. Since this work is part of an ongoing research project, future tasks are also discussed.

Automation of camera calibration is facilitated by recording coded 2D patterns. Our toolbox for automatic camera calibration using images of simple chess-board patterns is freely available on the Internet. But it is unsuitable for stereo-cameras whose calibration implies recovering camera geometry and their true-to-scale relative orientation. In contrast to all reported methods requiring additional specific coding to establish an object space coordinate system, a toolbox for automatic stereo-camera calibration relying on ordinary chess-board patterns is presented here. First, the camera calibration algorithm is applied to all image pairs of the pattern to extract nodes of known spacing, order them in rows and columns, and estimate two independent camera parameter sets. The actual node correspondences on stereo-pairs remain unknown. Image pairs of a textured 3D scene are exploited for finding the fundamental matrix of the stereo-camera by applying RANSAC to point matches established with the SIFT algorithm. A node is then selected near the centre of the left image; its match on the right image is assumed as the node closest to the corresponding epipolar line. This yields matches for all nodes (since these have already been ordered), which should also satisfy the 2D epipolar geometry. Measures for avoiding mismatching are taken. With automatically estimated initial orientation values, a bundle adjustment is performed constraining all pairs on a common (scaled) relative orientation. Ambiguities regarding the actual exterior orientations of the stereo-camera with respect to the pattern are irrelevant. Results from this automatic method show typical precisions not above 1/4 pixels for 640×480 web cameras.

Vehicle exterior inspection is a critical operation for identifying defects and ensuring the overall safety and integrity of vehicles. Visual-based inspection of moving objects, such as vehicles within dynamic environments abounding with reflections, presents significant challenges, especially when time and accuracy are of paramount importance. Conventional exterior inspections of vehicles require substantial labor, which is both costly and prone to errors. Recent advancements in deep learning have reduced labor work by enabling the use of segmentation algorithms for defect detection and description based on simple RGB camera acquisitions. Nonetheless, these processes struggle with issues of image orientation leading to difficulties in accurately differentiating between detected defects. This results in numerous false positives and additional labor effort. Estimating image poses enables precise localization of vehicle damages within a unified 3D reference system, following initial detections in the 2D imagery. A primary challenge in this field is the extraction of distinctive features and the establishment of accurate correspondences between them, a task that typical image matching techniques struggle to address for highly reflective moving objects. In this study, we introduce an innovative end-to-end pipeline tailored for efficient image matching and stitching, specifically addressing the challenges posed by moving objects in static uncalibrated camera setups. Extracting features from moving objects with strong reflections presents significant difficulties, beyond the capabilities of current image matching algorithms. To tackle this, we introduce a novel filtering scheme that can be applied to every image matching process, provided that the input features are sufficient. A critical aspect of this module involves the exclusion of points located in the background, effectively distinguishing them from points that pertain to the vehicle itself. This is essential for accurate feature extraction and subsequent analysis. Finally, we generate a high-quality image mosaic by employing a series of sequential stereo-rectified pairs.