6D scan registration using depth-interpolated local image features

This paper describes a novel registration approach that is based on a combination of visual and 3D range information. To identify correspondences, local visual features obtained from images of a standard color camera are compared and the depth of matching features (and their position covariance) is determined from the range measurements of a 3D laser scanner. The matched depth-interpolated image features allow one to apply registration with known correspondences. We compare several ICP variants in this paper and suggest an extension that considers the spatial distance between matching features to eliminate false correspondences. Experimental results are presented in both outdoor and indoor environments. In addition to pair-wise registration, we also propose a global registration method that registers all scan poses simultaneously.