Multi-Resolution Image Morphing

Concept

The proposed technique extends conventional image morphing algorithms by offering additional control over the processing of the individual multi-resolutions that are used in the wavelet representation when moving from the source to the destination image. This gives the animator the possibility to introduce a disparity between the morphing of global and detail features that can lead to interesting new effects that are not achievable with traditional methods.

The calculation of an intermediate image in conventional image morphing algorithms is done in three steps: firstly the determination of feature correspondence and of an intermediate feature geometry, secondly the warping of the source and the destination images to intermediate images that match the feature geometry, and finally the blending of the two warped images. The proposed algorithm alters the third step by making the blending dependent on the multi-resolution levels using a new specialized 2D wavelet transformation.

The following picture illustrates the new effects, which can be achieved with this new approach:

The source image of the morphing is on the left side, the destination image on the right side. In the center we see two different morphing sequences. In the upper morphing sequence the details are morphed faster from the source to the destination and the global features are morphed slower. In the lower morphing sequence the details are morphed slower and the global features are morphed faster.

For more details look at the Technical Report TR186-2-97-20, which was submitted to the Eurographics´98 Conference: Online available is the Abstract and the whole TechReport in Adobe Portable Document Format in normal and high quality:

ftp://ftp.cg.tuwien.ac.at/pub/TR/97/TR-186-2-97-20Paper.pdf normal quality, 3.3 MBytes
ftp://ftp.cg.tuwien.ac.at/pub/TR/97/TR-186-2-97-20Paper-HQ.pdf high quality, 11.5 MBytes

Implementation

XMRM, a prototype implementation of this concept, has been made in Linux and X-Windows. The source code, binaries and the manual of version 2.0 are available from:

ftp://ftp.cg.tuwien.ac.at/pub/linux/xmrm/

If you are interested in the features of the program, look at the Online Manual.

See the latest info for recent changes.

Morphing Animations

There are some animations in MPEG-format available, which demonstrate the effects of the multiresolution control:

MPEG with fast transition of details, slow transition of global features	MPEG with slow transition of details, fast transition of global features

Credits

Project Supervisor:: Manfred Kopp
Programming:: Gerhard Waldhör and Andreas Artmann
XMRM-Logo:: Manfred Kopp and Zsolt Szalavári
Animations:: Manfred Kopp, Thomas Lohr, Stefan Zechmeister
Copyright and Usage: The text, all animations and all pictures are public domain. You can use it free for everything you want, but it would be nice if you make a reference to XMRM and the URL of this Webpage: http://www.cg.tuwien.ac.at/research/ca/mrm/

Institute of Computer Graphics / Visualization and Animation Group / Research Animation

This page is maintained by Manfred Kopp. It was last updated on April 30, 1997.
If you have any comments, please send a message to kopp@cg.tuwien.ac.at.