FibAR: Embedding Optical Fibers in 3D Printed Objects for Active Markers in Dynamic Projection Mapping

Area of Science:

• Computer Vision
• Robotics
• 3D Reconstruction

Background:

• Dynamic projection mapping (PM) is crucial for interactive 3D environments.
• Existing marker-based PM systems face limitations with curved surfaces and working range.
• Robust pose estimation is essential for accurate real-time 3D applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel active marker system for dynamic projection mapping.
• To enable accurate and robust PM on objects with complex, curved surfaces.
• To extend the working range of marker-based PM systems.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a projection object using a multi-material 3D printer with integrated optical fibers.
• Emission of unique temporal blinking patterns of infrared (IR) light from active markers for identification.
• Development of an automatic marker placement algorithm for robust pose estimation.
• Implementation of an optimization framework for optical fiber routing to minimize light loss and avoid collisions.

Main Results:

• The proposed active marker system achieves accurate dynamic projection mapping.
• The system demonstrates robustness on objects with strongly curved surfaces.
• The effective working range of the projection mapping system is significantly increased compared to previous methods.

Conclusions:

• The novel active marker system offers a significant advancement for dynamic projection mapping.
• The method is suitable for applications requiring precise 3D reconstruction on complex geometries.
• The system's extended working range broadens its applicability in various fields.