Using hybrid approaches to solve the challenges of shape from shading

For over thirty years researchers have been trying to solve the shape from shading problem of determining 3D shape from a single image with a single light source. The basic problem of determining shape from shading is made more difficult due to challenges of light orientation, camera type, ambiguity, multiple materials, and specular highlights. This paper shows how some of these challenges can be overcome through the use of other techniques such as image segmentation and stereopsis. We present a new hybrid method of shape from shading that can be used to autonomously capture 3D information from two 2D images of single objects with multiple peaks and multiple materials with specular components.