Proposal of new method for generating surface model from slice images

The research of a relic excavated from remains has become popular. In late years the research of a relic restoration using CG is also examined. But a laser measurement device is mainly used for measuring shapes of fragments and can't measure uneven complicated shapes. So the X-ray computed tomography to make 3-dimensional measurement possible has begun to be used as a measurement device, but the model generation needs the hand of man still more. In this research, we propose a procedure to automatically recover surface models of fragments with complicated shapes from slice images measured with an X-ray computed tomography. We have already reported a basic restoration system with MRI [1], and models restored with the system are useful to visualization or simulation of relic restoration. Regrettably, the models are not enough precise for experts such as archeologists to make detailed investigation possible. Much more precise models are needed to match the aim of experts. To get a surface model, corresponding points of contours of two slice images must be found, but this is difficult without manual interposition of man. The surface model of a complicated shape is automatically formed by setting up a surface patch on each grid by interpolating intermediate points between the 2 corresponding contours. Further determination of the joining angle between two fragments became easy because re-construction of the thickness of each fragment is easily attained that is quite difficult to get using a laser measurement.