Landmark-Based Re-topology of Stereo-Pair Acquired Face Meshes

Believable, detailed digital faces are desired for both film and game production as well as research applications. A high-resolution mesh of a face is acquired often with structured light and stereo computer-vision methods. In production for visual effects or games, the acquired mesh is “re-topologized” by an artist using software to draw a new edge layout in order to simplify and prepare a mesh for animation. For building models of facial population and expression for research, meshes often undergo a similar process to find correspondence among face models, although in the past the desired layout has not been designed for effective facial animation. We propose a process using images accompanying a 3D scan to locate dense 2D facial landmarks automatically to re-topologize meshes with the particular goal of creating models that deform well for facial animation. The technique also allows real-time editing of the re-topology relationship if modifications are desired.