Free-form 3D objects compression using surface signature

This paper introduces a new transform, called the signature transform, to concisely represent free-form 3D objects. The signature transform is based on a foe-form surface representation called the surface signature(1.2). The surface signature captures some information about a 3D surface, as viewed from a special point called the anchor, such as the curvature, distance from anchor point,....etc. The surface signature stores these information in the form of a 2D image called the surface signature image. The signature transform uses different variations of the surface signature as viewed f om selected landmark points. The selection of anchor points is crucial to the success of the signature transform an approach for selecting landmark points based on curvature value will be presented. The signature transform can then be used as a form of a progressive compression of objects that will allow the view and manipulation of the 3D object even if all the compression data are not received. Unlike the previously existing progressive compression techniques, the signature transform does not require receiving the data in special order nor does it have key frames in the representation.