Tan Yunlan, Jia Jinyuan, Zhang Chen, Li Guangyao. Survey on virtual 3D tree modeling technologies[J]. Journal of Image and Graphics, 2013, 18(11): 1520-1528. DOI: 10.11834/jig.20131117.
Realistic and immersive 3D tree modeling is an important and challenging research topic in computer graphics
computer vision
and virtual reality.Furthermore
it is highly valuable in various applications such as virtual tourism
virtual city
virtual agriculture
ecological landscape
and so on.Many researchers in this field used various approaches of 3D tree modeling.However
a review work is not available on this topic
which has obviously blocked the development of image based modeling research.Different methods are classified and analyzed based on the visual clues used in modeling from a computer vision perspective.In this paper
all advanced 3D tree modeling technologies are surveyed
which are categorized as image-based
rule-based
and sketch-based methods.After analyzing and comparing several main 3D modeling methods and newly key modeling technologies
Such as approximate image-based tree-modeling using particle flows
single image tree modeling
sketch-based tree modeling using Markov random field
texture-lobes for tree modeling
image-based lightweight tree modeling
we draw several conclusions.Rule-based tree modeling is based on the assumption that the branch shapes and phyllotaxis of the tree follow a predictable pattern
but it is difficulty to reconstruct the unpredictable part of branches such as stunted growth or suffered external environment influence.Therefore people should master large professional knowledge of botany to reconstruct realistic rule-based tree model.When it comes to sketch-based tree modeling
the users usually stretch the outline from the tree images to obtain the seeds
which guide the growth of trees or morphological characteristics.Tree modeling is relatively simple and intuitive and even can be realized by automatic or semi-automatic way.Image-based tree modeling is a method that 3D space geometry information of the tree is built from two or more than two images.It can be built intelligently and the model is realistic.But the model data is too large to meet 3D visualization display of the large-scale virtual scene on the Internet.In addition
a research idea about hybrid lightweight tree modeling for lightweight
low cost
high efficiency
which is proposed according to the current research emphasis and difficulties.At last
the future of lightweight 3D tree modeling applied in the interactive virtual scene is presented.