Abstract: There is provided a novel approach for automatic human face authentication. Taking a 3D triangular facial mesh as input, the approach first automatically extracts the bilateral symmetry plane of the face surface. The intersection between the symmetry plane and the facial surface, namely the Symmetry Profile, is then computed. By using both the mean curvature plot of the facial surface and the curvature plot of the symmetry profile curve, three essential points of the nose on the symmetry profile are automatically extracted. The three essential points uniquely determine a Face Intrinsic Coordinate System (FICS). Different faces are aligned based on the FICS. The Symmetry Profile, together with two transversal profiles, namely the Forehead Profile and the Cheek Profile compose a compact representation, called the SFC representation, of a 3D face surface. The face authentication and recognition steps are finally performed by comparing the SFC representation of the faces.

Abstract: A computer system (100) and method for the storage, archiving, query and retrieval of information relating to 3D objects is provided. The système includes data acquisition (130) means for requiring point coordinate data about a three-dimensional object, a database component (105), a processor (103) and a user interface (110). The processor (103) is operable to generate modeled data (105) from the point coordinate data and to segment the modeled data (124) into feature data (122) representing a plurality of features of the object (118). The data is organized so that features of the 3D objects can be automatically extracted for online query and retrieval. The processor (103) is operable to store the modeled data (124) and the feature data (122) in the database component (105) and retrieve modeled data (124) and feature data (122) from the database component (105) using search criteria representing oobject features of interest.