This paper concerns the problem of fully automated panoramic image stitching. Though the 1D problem (single axis of rotation) is well studied, 2D or multi-row stitching is more difficult. Previous approaches have used human input or restrictions on the image sequence in order to establish matching images. In this work, we formulate stitching as a multi-image matching problem, and use invariant local features to find matches between all of the images. Because of this our method is insensitive to the ordering, orientation, scale and illumination of the input images. It is also insensitive to noise images that are not part of a panorama, and can recognise multiple panoramas in an unordered image dataset. In addition to providing more detail, this paper extends our previous work in the area (Brown and Lowe, 2003) by introducing gain compensation and automatic straightening steps.

In the last two decades, many papers have been published, proposing a variety of methods for multi- frame resolution enhancement. These methods are usually very sensitive to their assumed model of data and noise, which limits their utility. This paper reviews some of these methods and addresses their shortcomings. We propose an alternate approach using L norm minimization and robust regularization based on a bilateral prior to deal with different data and noise models. This computationally inexpensive method is robust to errors in motion and blur estimation, and results in images with sharp edges.

Abstract-Intelligence is defined as that which produces successful behavior. Intelligence is assumed to result from natural selection. A model is proposed that integrates knowledge from research in both natural and artificial systems. The model consists of a hierarchical system architecture wherein: 1) control bandwidth decreases about an order of magnitude at each higher level, 2) perceptual resolution of spatial and temporal patterns contracts about an order-of-magnitude at each higher level, 3) goals expand in scope and planning horizons expand in space and time about an order-of-magnitude at each higher level, and 4) models of the world and memories of events expand their range in space and time by about an order-of-magnitude at each higher level. At each level, functional modules perform behavior generation (task decomposition planning and execution), world modeling, sensory processing, and value judgment. Sensory feedback control loops are closed at every level. I.

We present a self-calibrating photometric stereo method. From a set of images taken from a fixed viewpoint under different and unknown lighting conditions, our method automatically determines a radiometric response function and resolves the generalized bas-relief ambiguity for estimating accurate

In this paper we present a method for recovering the reflectance properties of all surfaces in a real scene from a sparse set of photographs, taking into account both direct and indirect illumination. The result is a lighting-independent model of the scene's geometry and reflectance properties, which can be rendered with arbitrary modifications to structure and lighting via traditional rendering methods. Our technique models reflectance with a lowparameter reflectance model, and allows diffuse albedo to vary arbitrarily over surfaces while assuming that non-diffuse characteristics remain constant across particular regions. The method's input is a geometric model of the scene and a set of calibrated high dynamic range photographs taken with known direct illumination. The algorithm hierarchically partitions the scene into a polygonal mesh, and uses image-based rendering to construct estimates of both the radiance and irradiance of each patch from the photographic data. The algorithm computes the expected location of specular highlights, and then analyzes the highlight areas in the images by running a novel iterative optimization procedure to recover the diffuse and specular reflectance parameters for each region. Lastly, these parameters are used in constructing high-resolution diffuse albedo maps for each surface.

A stereo algorithm is presented that optimizes a maximum likelihood cost function. The maximum likelihood cost function assumes that corresponding features in the left and right images are Normally distributed about a common true value and consists of a weighted squared error term if two features are matched or a ( xed) cost if a feature is determined to be occluded. The stereo algorithm nds the set of correspondences that maximize the cost function subject to ordering and uniqueness constraints. The stereo algorithm is independent of the matching primitives. However, for the experiments described in this paper, matching is performed on the individual pixel intensities. Contrary to popular belief, the pixel-based stereo appears to be robust for a variety of images. It also has the advantages of (i) providing a dense disparity map, (ii) requiring no feature extraction and (iii) avoiding the adaptive windowing problem of area-based correlation methods. Because feature extraction and windowing are unnecessary, avery fast implementation is possible. Experimental results reveal that good stereo correspondences can be found using only ordering and uniqueness constraints, i.e. without local smoothness constraints. However, it is shown that the original maximum likelihood stereo algorithm exhibits multiple global minima. The dynamic programming algorithm is guaranteed to nd one, but not necessarily the same one for each epipolar scanline causing erroneous

of an image that are invariant to these photometric events. In this paper we describe a class of such invariants that result from exploiting color information in images of dichromatic surfaces. These invariants are derived from illuminant-dependent ‘subspaces ’ of RGB color space, and they enable

We present a photometric stereo technique that operates on time-lapse sequences captured by static outdoor webcams over the course of several months. Outdoor webcams produce a large set of uncontrolled images subject to varying lighting and weather conditions. We first automatically select a

This paper describes the extraction of 3D geometrical data from image sequences, for the purpose of creating 3D models of objects in the world. The approach is uncalibrated - camera internal parameters and camera motion are not known or required. Processing an image sequence is underpinned by token correspondences between images. We utilise matching techniques which are both robust (detecting and discarding mismatches) and fully automatic. The matched tokens are used to compute 3D structure, which is initialised as it appears and then recursively updated over time. We describe a novel robust estimator of the trifocal tensor, based on a minimum number of token correspondences across an image triplet; and a novel tracking algorithm in which corners and line segments are matched over image triplets in an integrated framework. Experimental results are provided for a variety of scenes, including outdoor scenes taken with a hand-held camcorder. Quantitative statistics are included to asses...

Many computer vision problems can be considered to consist of two main tasks: the extraction of image content descriptions and their subsequent matching. The appropriate choice of type and level of description is of course task dependent, yet it is generally accepted that the low-level or so called early vision layers in the Human Visual System are context independent. This paper concentrates on the use of low-level approaches for solving computer vision problems and discusses three inter-related aspects of this: saliency; scale selection and content description. In contrast to many previous approaches which separate these tasks, we argue that these three aspects are intrinsically related. Based on this observation, a multiscale algorithm for the selection of salient regions of an image is introduced and its application to matching type problems such as tracking, object recognition and image retrieval is demonstrated.