Content-based similarity for 3D model retrieval and classification

With the rapid development of 3D digital shape information, content-based 3D model retrieval and classification has become an important research area. This paper presents a novel 3D model retrieval and classification algorithm. For feature representation, a method combining a distance histogram and moment invariants is proposed to improve the retrieval performance. The major advantage of using a distance histogram is its invariance to the transforms of scaling, translation and rotation. Based on the premise that two similar objects should have high mutual information, the querying of 3D data should convey a great deal of information on the shape of the two objects, and so we propose a mutual information distance measurement to perform the similarity comparison of 3D objects. The proposed algorithm is tested with a 3D model retrieval and classification prototype, and the experimental evaluation demonstrates satisfactory retrieval results and classification accuracy.