STELA : Sketch-Based 3D Model Retrieval using a Structure-Based Local Approach

Since 3D models are becoming more popular, the need for effective methods capable of retrieving 3D models are becoming crucial. Current methods require an example 3D model as query. However, in many cases, such a query is not easy to get. An alternative is using a hand-draw sketch as query. We present a structure-based local approach (STELA) for retrieving 3D models using a rough sketch as query. It consists of four steps: get an abstract image, detect keyshapes, compute a local descriptor, and match local descriptors. We represent a 3D model by means of suggestive contours. Our proposal includes an additional step aiming at reducing the number of models that will be compared by our local approach. The proposed method is invariant to position, scale, and rotation changes as well. We evaluate our method using the first-tier precision and compare it with a current global approach (HELO). Our results show an increasing in precision for many classes of 3D models