3D model database system by hand sketch query

This paper proposes a 3D model database system that accepts the hand sketch image as its query. Recently, a lot of 3D models have been created and stored because of the great demand for CG animation productions and 3D game productions. Thus we need a 3D model database system that allows us to retrieve required models easily and accurately. The development of such a system poses two main problems: which feature can be assumed to be the best similarity measure among 3D models, and what is the best way to specify the query. The author proposes the use of a hand sketch image to deal with the second problem. The author has developed a 3D model database system based on silhouette image matching. Silhouette image matching means a similarity measure between a 3D model's silhouette images and the hand sketch images; this is a solution of the first problem. The paper proposes such a database system and describes the usefulness of the system with experimental results.