Content-based retrieval of 3D models in distributed Web databases by visual shape information

Digital documents assembled from different components, like text, images, video, audio and 3D models, are supported today by many distributed applications. This paper presents a new approach to retrieving 3D models as part of digital documents using content-based image retrieval functionality. To find a 3D model best-fitting the user´s query, shape information is extracted from the retrieved models and a score is generated by comparing shape images with the graphical user input. A distributed database environment with a WWW interface is presented and used as a generic implementation platform for this technique. The new retrieval method for 3D geometry is then described by extending the generic architecture in two steps, with a server-side module and an interactive client display. I outline how this method can be used for partial geometry downloading of 3D models in digital libraries