Restoration of 3-D facial shape using a stereoscopic camera and pseudo random colored slit ray pattern

In this paper we present a new technique to restore the 3-D facial shape using a stereo camera and the pseudorandom colored slit ray pattern. Because of the flatness of the forehead and cheeks and changeless complexion on the face, it is rather difficult to find the corresponding points on the left and right stereographic facial images. To overcome this difficulty, we project a red and green slit ray pattern on a face by an overhead projector. From the coordinates of the corresponding colored slits on the left and right images, we acquire the depth information and then restore the facial shape. To verify the exactness of the restored facial shape, we rotate the restored face and extracted the contour line of the profile and compared with the profile of the same subject. The result shows a remarkable coincidence of two images and this proves the usefulness of the proposed technique.