Active view selection for efficient 3D scene reconstruction

This paper presents an active sensing process for the efficient reconstruction of a real world environment using multiple views of a scene captured by a laser range finder onboard a mobile robot. To resolve the ambiguities caused by occlusions there is the need to acquire multiple range views at different viewpoints. A strategy for optimising the selection of the next sensing position and orientation based on previously detected occlusions is proposed. No a priori knowledge about the scene is used for planning the next views. The system evaluates the set of capture points from which all the necessary data can be acquired aiming at minimising its number. Among these points it then selects the one(s) maximising the occluded areas to be resolved.