Image Alignment and Stitching: A Tutorial

Author(s): Richard Szeliski

Source:
    Journal:Foundations and Trends® in Computer Graphics and Vision
    ISSN Print:1572-2740,  ISSN Online:1572-2759
    Publisher:Now Publishers
    Volume 2 Number 1,

Document Type: Article
Pages: 104(1-105)
DOI: 10.1561/0600000009

Abstract: This tutorial reviews image alignment and image stitching algorithms. Image alignment algorithms can discover the correspondence relationships among images with varying degrees of overlap. They are ideally suited for applications such as video stabilization, summarization, and the creation of panoramic mosaics. Image stitching algorithms take the alignment estimates produced by such registration algorithms and blend the images in a seamless manner, taking care to deal with potential problems such as blurring or ghosting caused by parallax and scene movement as well as varying image exposures. This tutorial reviews the basic motion models underlying alignment and stitching algorithms, describes e?ective direct (pixel-based) and feature-based alignment algorithms, and describes blending algorithms used to produce seamless mosaics. It ends with a discussion of open research problems in the area.

Full Text