Various image taking strategies for 3-D object modeling based on multiple cameras

A method is described for obtaining 3-D object models, particularly human models, based on multiple cameras and a computer. Existing optical 3-D modeling systems employ calibrated cameras, which inevitably restricts the cameras at fixed positions, giving constraints to object motions. The proposed technique gives various ways of capturing images of object motions. It contains a mobile cameras system for taking images of an object moving widely by following it. It also provides a simultaneous entire shape recovery strategy by the employment of a surrounding cameras system. The proposed recovery technique puts its theoretical basis on the factorization method. The present paper focuses its attention on the issue of defining a measurement matrix having full entries. The technique is described and its performance is shown by the experiments on 3-D human motion modeling.