Rapid 3D Object Modeling Using 3D Data from Flash LADAR for Automated Construction Equipment Operations

Automated recognition and modeling of 3D objects located in a construction work environment that are difficult to characterize or are constantly changing is critical for autonomous heavy equipment operation. Such automation allows for accurate, efficient, and autonomous operation of heavy equipment in a broad range of construction tasks by providing interactive background information. This paper presents 3D object recognition and modeling system from range data obtained from flash LADAR, with the goal of rapid and effective representation of the construction workspace. The proposed system consists of four steps: data acquisition, pre-processing, object segmentation on range images, and 3D model generation. During the object segmentation process, the split-and-merge algorithm, which separates a set of objects in a range image into individual objects, is applied to range images for the segmentation of objects. The whole process is automatic and is performed in nearly real time with an acceptable level of accuracy. The system was validated in outdoor experiments, and the results show that the proposed 3D object recognition and modeling system achieves a good balance between speed and accuracy, and hence could be used to enhance efficiency and productivity in the autonomous operation of heavy equipment.