Title: A new method to detect and remove a beard from 3D human face model

Authors: Rokaya Dhahri; Samir Belaid

Addresses: MARS Research Unit, Department of Computing Science, FSM – University of Monastir, Tunisia ' MARS Research Unit, Department of Computing Science, FSM – University of Monastir, Tunisia

Abstract: Detection and removal of a beard from three-dimensional human faces model is considered as one of face recognition and age estimation challenges. For this purpose, we propose a new method based on standard deviation measure of angles sum between face normal vectors (SANV). For this purpose, we begin with enhancement steps whose aim to fill the holes present in face model. Once imperfections are eliminated, the face is segmented in order to locate and extract beard area of the face. Then, we estimate the presence or the absence of the beard by testing the value of the SANV measure. The last step consists in a virtual shaving of the beard with removal techniques. The removal step is based on applying Taubin smoothing and the regression of SANV value of bearded area. Experiments carried on FRAV 3D database showed the relevance of our contribution.

Keywords: occlusion; beard detection; beard removal; Taubin smoothing; face normal vectors; angles; 3D modelling; human face models; face recognition; age estimation; image segmentation; virtual shaving; beards.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOR.2016.078460

International Journal of Operational Research, 2016 Vol.27 No.1/2, pp.201 - 211

Received: 22 Nov 2013
Accepted: 01 May 2014
Published online: 22 Aug 2016 *

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