2D shape morphing via automatic feature matching and hierarchical interpolation

The paper presents a new method to interpolate a pair of 2D shapes that are represented by piecewise linear curves. The method addresses two key problems in 2D shape morphing process: feature correspondence and path interpolation. First, a robust feature metric is defined to measure the similarity of a pair of 2D shapes in terms of visual appearance, orientation and relative size. Based on the metric, an optimal problem is defined and solved to associate the features on the source shape with the corresponding ones on the target shape. Then, a two-level hierarchical approach is proposed to solve the corresponding features interpolation trajectory problem. The algorithm decomposes the input shapes into a pair of corresponding coarse polygons and several pairs of corresponding features. Then the corresponding coarse polygons are interpolated in an as-rigid-as-possible plausible way; meanwhile the corresponding features are interpolated using the intrinsic method. Thus interior distortions of the intermediate shapes could be avoided and the feature details on the input shapes could be well preserved. Experimental results show that the method can generate smooth, natural and visually pleasing 2D shape morphing effects.