Exoskeleton: Curve network abstraction for 3D shapes

► We introduce the notion of exoskeleton as a curve network abstraction of 3D shapes that concisely captures both the global structure and the geometric complexity of the shape. ► We present a principled and versatile framework for the creation of exoskeletons by combining shape approximation and part-based segmentation. ► We showcase how our abstraction describes different categories of shapes. ► We discuss the benefits of our exoskeleton to traditional partitioning and simplification schemes.