Accurate registration of structured data using two overlapping range images

New technological developments in optics and electronics are rendering laser scanning systems cheaper and more accurate. Such systems can directly capture depth information from objects simplifying the range image analysis and enlarging their applications scope. Accurate image registration algorithms represent a pivotal aspect of range image analysis which still require substantial improvements. This paper presents two novel motion constraints namely proximity and closeness constraints to improve accuracy of image registration and defines the conditions when such constraints are read at specific points of the registration. A number of experiments using real range images demonstrate that the combination of rigid motion constraints with the novel proximity and closeness constraints leads to more accurate evaluation of valid correspondences which, in turn, lead to more accurate image registration.