Research on a three-dimensional reconstruction method based on the feature matching algorithm of a scale-invariant feature transform

Currently, reverse engineering has attracted increasing attention in the non-destructive detection field, since it is a viable method to create a three-dimensional (3D) virtual model of an existing physical part. Feature points matching and 3D reconstruction are critical processes in reverse engineering of binocular stereo vision. In this paper, we present a 3D reconstruction method based on the feature matching algorithm of a scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT). First, we find the paired matching pixel points in the two corresponding digital images by using the SIFT matching algorithm. Second, the middle points on the common perpendicular of non-coplanar lines are exploited to estimate the 3D points. Finally, experimental results are presented to demonstrate the practicality of the proposed method. Published by Elsevier Ltd