Efficient multiview depth representation based on image segmentation

The persistent improvements witnessed in multimedia production have considerably augmented users demand for immersive 3D systems. Expedient implementation of this technology however, entails the need for significant reduction in the amount of information required for representation. Depth image-based rendering algorithms have considerably reduced the number of images necessary for 3D scene reconstruction, nevertheless the compression of depth maps still poses several challenges due to the peculiar nature of the data. To this end, this paper proposes a novel depth representation methodology that exploits the intrinsic correlation present between colour intensity and depth images of a natural scene. A segmentation-based approach is implemented which decreases the amount of information necessary for transmission by a factor of 24 with respect to conventional JPEG algorithms whilst maintaining a quasi identical reconstruction quality of the 3D views.