Shape representation and analysis: a glance into the future

Thanks to technological advances and rising public interest, 3D content is gaining momentum and its popularity is rapidly increasing. Acquisition devices make it possible to build easily digital counter- parts of physical objects and environments, and 3D televisions and head-mounted displays can now be bought at a fraction of the cost of a gramophone a mere 50 years ago. Emerging technologies are therefore leading us to a gradual but inescapable mix of the material essence of our reality with a digital one. But can digital reality fulfil the same expectations as those we have on our material life? While attaining visual realism is within the grasp of current research achievements, it is less clear whether the digital environments will be accommodating to the needs of human communication and interaction with digital 3D worlds. This talk will explore the suitability of current shape representations in this evolving scenario and discuss research issues and future directions for shape analysis in a number of applied domains.