Tracking Surfaces via Texture-mapping: A Boot-strapping Approach

Mapping grey-level texture onto a surface model with known 3D structure enables tracking of the surface through a sequence of frames. The first frame position is assumed known. Since surface structure is known, grey-level texture can be mapped onto the 3D surface, and this texture is used to track the surface into the next frame; as more of the surface is revealed, more texture is mapped onto the surface which facilitates further tracking. Using this boot-strapping approach means that tracking and texture-mapping proceed simultaneously. Results are presented on a sequence of images in which a Champagne bottle is successfully tracked whilst rotating. At the end of the sequence the motion-path that the surface followed is known, and grey-level texture has been mapped onto the surface.