Simplification of objects rendered by polygonal approximations

Current technology provides a means to obtain sampled data that digitally describes three-dimensional surfaces and objects. Three-dimensional digitizing cameras can be used to obtain sampled data that maps the surface of three dimensional figures and models. Data obtained from such sources enable accurate renderings of the original surface. However, the digitizing process often provides much more data than is needed to accurately recreate the surface or object. In order to use such data in real-time visual simulators, a significant reduction in the data needed to accurately render the sampled surfaces is required. The techniques presented were developed to drastically reduce the number of data points required to depict an object without sacrificing the detail and accuracy inherent in the digitizing process