Interactive Design of Multi-Perspective Images for Visualizing Urban Landscapes

• Published in: 2004 IEEE Visualization Conference pp. 537 - 544
• Main Authors: Roman, Augusto, Garg, Gaurav, Levoy, Marc
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC, USA IEEE Computer Society 10.10.2004; IEEE
• Series: ACM Conferences
• Subjects: Application software; Applied sciences; Cameras; Cities and towns; city block; Computer graphics; Computer science; control theory; systems; Computer systems and distributed systems. User interface; Computing methodologies; Computing methodologies > Artificial intelligence; Computing methodologies > Artificial intelligence > Computer vision; Computing methodologies > Artificial intelligence > Computer vision > Image and video acquisition; Computing methodologies > Artificial intelligence > Computer vision > Image and video acquisition > 3D imaging; Computing methodologies > Computer graphics; Computing methodologies > Computer graphics > Image manipulation; cross-slits image; Exact sciences and technology; Fabrics; Image generation; Layout; multi-perspective image; Optical distortion; Software; Visualization; cross-slits image; city block; multi-perspective image; Block code; Perspective; Landscape; Video signal; Tridimensional image; Parameterization; Moving body; Spatial representation; Multiple image; Interactive system
• ISBN: 0780387880; 9780780387881
• DOI: 10.1109/VISUAL.2004.50

Multi-perspective images are a useful way to visualize extended, roughly planar scenes such as landscapes or city blocks. However, constructing effective multi-perspective images is something of an art. In this paper, we describe an interactive system for creating multi-perspective images composed of serially blended cross-slits images. Beginning with a sideways-looking video of the scene as might be captured from a moving vehicle, we allow the user to interactively specify a set of cross-slits cameras, possibly with gaps between them. In each camera, one of the slits is defined to be the camera path, which is typically horizontal, and the user is left to choose the second slit, which is typically vertical. The system then generates intermediate views between these cameras using a novel interpolation scheme, thereby producing a multi-perspective image with no seams. The user can also choose the picture surface in space onto which viewing rays are projected, thereby establishing a parameterization for the image. We show how the choice of this surface can be used to create interesting visual effects. We demonstrate our system by constructing multi-perspective images that summarize city blocks, including corners, blocks with deep plazas and other challenging urban situations.