ITK Mesh Simplification using Error Quadrics and Directed Edges

mesh simplification, error quadrics, directed edge data structure, vertex sets, border stitching In 3D graphics surface models of objects are mostly represented by polygonal meshes. The ability to switch between several levels of details is essential to provide an appropriately sized input for all kinds of further processing steps. The simplification of those polygonal meshes can be carried out by already existing applications, which, however, were not created for medical imaging purposes. Most of them cannot be used for reducing meshes of medical 3D models. In this thesis we are pointing out the features necessary for dealing with meshes in the context of medical imaging. Our main goal is to find a combination of simplification components and control mechanisms, which ensure that the topology, as well as the geometry, is preserved in a reduced version of a 3D model. The combination of error quadrics with a directed edge data structure defines the basis for our simplification tool. In order to keep the triangle meshes manifold, we have applied some completely new techniques for half edge meshes, verte