Model validation for change detection [machine vision]

An important application of machine vision is to provide a means to monitor a scene over a period of time and report changes in the content of the scene. We have developed a validation mechanism that implements the first step towards a system for detecting changes in images of aerial scenes. By validation we mean the confirmation of the presence of model objects in the image. Our system uses a 3-D site model of the scene as a basis for model validation, and eventually for detecting changes and to update the site model. The scenario for our present validation system consists of adding a new image to a database associated with the site. The validation process is implemented in three steps: registration of the image to the model, or equivalently, determination of the position and orientation of the camera; matching of model features to image features; and validation of the objects in the model. Our system processes the new image monocularly and uses shadows as 3-D clues to help validate the model. The system has been tested using a hand-generated site model and several images of a 500:1 scale model of the site, acquired form several viewpoints