On the analysis of buried objects by processing 3-D acoustic images

Investigation of man-made objects relying on the seafloor or embedded into the bottom can be carried out by acoustic imaging techniques and subsequent data processing. In this paper, a processing chain that, starting from a 3-D acoustic image of the object to be examined and requiring a minimal interaction with the user, results in an augmented reality model is described. Essentially, the chain includes blocks devoted to noise reduction, statistical 3-D segmentation, semi-automatic surface fitting, extraction of measurements, and virtual reality modeling.