A 3D Skeletonization Algorithm for 3D Mesh Models Using a Partial Parallel 3D Thinning Algorithm and 3D Skeleton Correcting Algorithm

A three-dimensional (3D) skeletonization algorithm extracts the skeleton of a 3D model and provides it for many applications, such as 3D model classification and identification. There are three major skeletonization methodologies used in the literature, distance transform field-based methods, Voronoi diagram-based methods, and thinning-based methods. However, the existing algorithms cannot preserve the connectivity of the skeletons of the 3D mesh models. In this paper, we propose a 3D skeletonization algorithm for 3D mesh models using a partial parallel thinning algorithm and a 3D skeleton correcting algorithm. The proposed algorithm uses pre-defined removing and recovering templates. The partial parallel 3D thinning algorithm separates 62 symmetrical removing templates into two groups based on symmetry. It thins a model with the templates of each group in each thinning procedure. The 3D skeleton correcting algorithm uses six correcting templates to inspect the disconnected voxels in the skeleton and corrects them. The experimental results show several comparisons of skeletons extracted by different skeletonization algorithms. The proposed algorithm can extract the skeleton of each branch of a model and preserve the connectivity.