Abstract
In this paper, a method for building a 3D statistical shape model of the apple is described. The framework consists of two parts. First, a reference surface is registered to each apple surface, derived from 3D CT scans of apples, of the population to obtain meaningful correspondences between the shapes. In the second part, the corresponded surfaces are used to build a statistical shape model from the population of apples. This model maps out the variability within the population and by adapting the shape model parameters, new, realistic surfaces can be obtained. By parameterizing the surface, an apple can be described with a compact set of basis functions, which has applications in surface fitting description, recognition, or meshing, e.g. for storage simulation. The constructed apple shape model is tested on performance and has proven to be a good representation of the population and can be used in many applications.
