Bringing Photographs to Life

Dr. Rekha Thomas from the University of Washington discusses
three-dimensional image reconstructions from two-dimensional
photos. The mathematics of image reconstruction is both simpler and
more abstract than it seems. To reconstruct a 3D model based on
photographic data, researchers and algorithms must solve a set of
polynomial equations. Some solutions to these equations work
mathematically, but correspond to an unrealistic scenario — for
instance, a camera that took a photo backwards. Additional
constraints help ensure this doesn't happen. Researchers are now
investigating the mathematical structures underlying image
reconstruction, and stumbling over unexpected links with geometry
and algebra.