Six Figure Grant Awarded for 3D Research

Dr Cristian Serdean from De Montfort University in Leicester is researching a method to present 3D data using a single set of footage containing a 2D view, plus information about the depth of each pixel in the scene. Previously, this effect has only been achievable by shooting stereoscopic images, merging them for display and requires the use of special glasses worn by viewers.

Dr Serdean's two year project revolves around extracting depth information from 2D stereoscopic video frames by turning pixels into frequency coefficients using a mathematical 'transform' known as a multiwavelet. The coefficients are then used to find corresponding points between the two sets of footage to accurately estimate the depth for each pixel.

Dr Serdean said that while traditional mathematical transforms and wavelets used in 2D to 3D processing do not retain information about the pixels' spatial positioning, multiwavelets are versatile enough to offer 'perfect localisation' in frequency and space.

He stated: "Finding correspondence points accurately is a critical stage of 2D to 3D conversion and it's by far the most difficult part of this process. One point from the left image will have a corresponding point in the right image, but due to the slightly different angles at which the two images were captured, the location of this point will be slightly displaced compared with the location in the left image. If we can find the accurate location of the corresponding point in the right image, then using the distance between the camera and the scene and the distance between the two corresponding points in the two images, we can calculate the depth for that point via triangulation."

By Identifying these stereo correspondence points more accurately, explained Dr Serdean, it will result in a 'significant step forward' in stereo imaging, leading to higher 3D footage quality and the development of algorithms and processing tools that are able to work accurately with minimal human input.

He concluded: "Ultimately, identifying stereo correspondence points more accurately constitutes yet another small step towards demystifying and getting closer to the ultimate image processing system, the human brain."

The £182,693 grant was awarded to Dr Serdean under the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council's First Grant Scheme.

By Chris Shaw, New Electronics