The paper reviews various topics in shape analysis. In particular, matching configurations using regression is emphasized. Connections with general shape spaces and shape distances are discussed. Kendall’s shape space and the affine shape space are considered in particular detail. Matching two configurations and the extension to generalized matching are illustrated with applications in electrop...

Differences between image processing and other disciplines in the definition and the role of shape are explored. Diverse approaches to quantifying shape are reviewed. Attention is drawn to the need for close coupling between image acquisition and shape analysis. An example of the effect of the means of observation on dynamic shape extraction is drawn from linguistics. Current instrumentation fo...

Much research is in progress on the acquisition of high-density three-dimensional shapes by acquiring and combining shape data and normal data. The method proposed in this paper estimates normals to object surfaces by employing the photometric stereo method and combines the estimation with the three-dimensional shape acquired by a laser range sensor. Although the photometric stereo method presu...

Motions of virtual characters in movies or video games are typically generated by recording actors using motion capturing methods. Animations generated this way often need postprocessing, such as improving the periodicity of cyclic animations or generating entirely new motions by interpolation of existing ones. Furthermore, search and classification of recorded motions becomes more and more imp...

Local scale variations within the same species are common in nature. The shape matching puzzle poses fascinating questions, like how should we measure the discrepancy between a small dog with large ears and a large one with small ears? are there similar geometric structures that are common to an elephant and a giraffe? what is the morphometric similarity between a blue whale and a dolphin? Exis...