Multi-scale band-limited illumination profilometry for robust three-dimensional surface imaging at video rate

Area of Science:

• Optical Metrology
• 3D Imaging Technologies
• Computer Vision

Background:

• Phase-shifting fringe projection profilometry is widely used for 3D surface imaging.
• Existing methods struggle with spatially isolated objects, varying surface reflectance, and large fields of view (FOVs).
• Limitations include restricted working distances and inability to capture dynamic scenes at video rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel 3D surface imaging technique overcoming limitations of current methods.
• To achieve simultaneous robustness, reflectance tolerance, and flexible working distances with large FOVs at video rate.
• To enable dynamic 3D surface acquisition for complex scenarios.

Main Methods:

• Development of multi-scale band-limited illumination profilometry (MS-BLIP).
• Integration of dual-level intensity projection and multi-frequency fringe projection.
• Application of an iterative method for distortion compensation.

Main Results:

• MS-BLIP accurately discerns spatially separated 3D objects with highly varying reflectance.
• Demonstrated dynamic 3D imaging of translating and rotating objects.
• Achieved large FOVs (up to 1.7 m × 1.1 m) and working distances (up to 2.8 m) at video rate.

Conclusions:

• MS-BLIP overcomes key limitations in 3D surface imaging.
• The technique enables robust and flexible dynamic 3D capture.
• MS-BLIP is suitable for applications like full human-body movement capture.