3-D Shape Reconstruction of Objects in Water by a Laser Range Finder Held on a Manipulator

Three-dimensional shape reconstruction of objects in water by observing from outside requires a geometrical analysis which takes the refraction effect into account. In the analysis, it is indispensable to know the shape of a vessel whose surface has discontinuity of the refractive index. This paper proposes a method for three-dimensional measurement which determines the vessel shape at first and then reconstructs the object shape, by employing a laser-range finder which gives measurement points on the object and the vessel surface simultaneously. Experimental results have shown the effectiveness of the proposed method.