Abstract:
An algorithm for representing complex three-dimensional objects in a computer for the purpose of robotic recognition of such objects comprises the generation of superquadric volume primitives, the combination of such superquadric volume primitives, the discarding of all vertices making up such volume primitives except for surface vertices, and the automatic generation of a Winged Edge graph structure from the list of surface vertices. The size of the Winged Edge graph structure is reduced by joining adjacent, coplanar faces, removing the common edge of such faces, and joining unidirectional, collinear edges resulting from any joining of adjacent, coplanar faces.

Description:
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to the representation of objects for recognition of such objects and more particularly, to algorithms for the efficient representation of objects in a computer for robotic recognition of such objects. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Modern industrial robots must be able to recognize a wide range of objects in order to effectively perform the diverse tasks that they are called upon to execute in commercial use. A crucial step in such recognition is the representation of objects in an object library that the robot will use to compare with actual objects perceived in order to identify the objects perceived. 
     There are various techniques that have been applied in the areas of geometric modeling and feature-based recognition, but most of these techniques have been limited to computer simulations of simple, two-dimensional shaped objects. In the area of geometric modeling, the techniques employed include wireframe (vertex lists), volumetric (Constructive Solid Geometry), spatial (Octree Codes), and boundary (B-reps in the form of edge graphs) representations for describing objects in a computer. In the area of recognition, previously developed techniques include curvature estimation, moment-based operators, and combining geometric constraints with interpretation trees. 
     It is, thus, an object of the present invention to provide a method to efficiently represent complex three-dimensional objects in a computer so that a robot can access them for the purpose of recognition of objects encountered by the robot. 
     A partial disclosure of some aspects disclosed herein may be found in &#34;Designing a Highly Conformable Tactile Sensor for Flexible Gripping Using a Digital Probe Array&#34;, by Glenn M. Friedman (D.Eng. Thesis), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N.Y., August, 1994 (hereinafter referred to as &#34;the Friedman Thesis&#34;). The actual date of submission of the Friedman Thesis for publication was Aug. 15, 1994. References on the related art may be found on pages 118-128 of the Friedman Thesis. In addition, a cursory description of the algorithm during the development stage of computer software implementing it may be found in Flexible Assembly Systems--1992, The ASME Design Technical Conferences--4th Conference on Flexible Assembly Systems, Scottsdale, Ariz., Sep. 13-16, 1992, edited by A. H. Soni, University of Cincinnati, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 1992, page 116. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An algorithm for the representation of objects in an object library for the purpose of robotic recognition of such objects comprises the use of superquadric volume primitives and a Winged Edge graph structure. 
     The superquadric volume primitives are generated by at least three ruled shape functions and are combined to produce volumetric representations of complex three-dimensional objects using union, intersection, complement, and difference operations. 
     The volumetric representations are reduced to a list of surface vertices or voxels only and the algorithm then automatically generates a Winged Edge graph structure from the list of voxels. The Winged Edge graph structure&#39;s size is kept as small as possible through the use of face-joining, edge-killing, and edge-joining routines. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a ruled surface S and the vectors used to generate it. 
     FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a computer simulation of a three-dimensional shape using ruled functions to generate a ruled volume function. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a sphere composed of surface voxels. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic of a portion of a Winged Edge graph structure. 
     FIG. 5 is a table showing the adjacency values for the portion of the Winged Edge graph structure shown in FIG. 4. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a Winged Edge graph structure for a sphere. 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic showing a group of vertices, edges, and faces of a Winged Edge graph structure before the face-joining and edge-killing routine commences. 
     FIG. 7a is a schematic showing the portion of the Winged Edge graph structure shown in FIG. 7 after faces F 2  and F 3  have been joined and edge E 5  has been killed. 
     FIG. 7b is a schematic showing the portion of the Winged Edge graph structure shown in FIG. 7a after faces F 1  and F 4  have been joined and edge E 6  has been killed. 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic showing the portion of the Winged Edge graph structure shown in FIG. 7b after edge E 1  has been joined to edge E 2 . 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the Winged Edge graph structure for the sphere shown in FIG. 6 after face-joining, edge-killing, and edge-joining have been done. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Polynomial functions of degree 2 are called quadratic and equations of the form f(x,y,z)=0 in general describe surfaces in three-dimensional space where x, y, and z are the three coordinate axes defining such a space. The general quadratic equation 
     
         ax.sup.2 +by.sup.2 +cz.sup.2 +2hxy+2gzx+2fyz+2ux+2vy+2wz+d=0 
    
     represents a quadratic surface embracing spheres, cylinders, cones, ellipsoids, parabaloids, and hyperboloids. 
     Superquadrics are a generalized set of polynomial functions that form variations on ellipsoids. A superquadric volume function defines the existence of volume points or voxels within a shape in terms of its spatial coordinates. Points outside the shape are assigned a VOID label, while points inside are assigned a VOLUME label representing that particular volume. 
     The superquadric volume function takes the form of: ##EQU1## Where a 1 , a 2 , and a 3  are the dimensions of the shape in x, y, z, e 1  &gt;0 is a squareness parameter in the xy-plane and e 2  &gt;0 is a squareness parameter in the xz-plane. 
     One characteristic of a superquadric is that the shape generated is symmetric about all three axes. Therefore, it is only necessary to generate the function in one octant and reflect that shape into the remaining seven octants to complete the function. 
     The present invention is directed toward an algorithm which first generates superquadric volume functions for given complex three-dimensional shapes. Superquadric volume primitives (simple shapes such as spheres, ellipses, tori, etc.) are first generated in the process described immediately below and then binary set operators are used to combine the volume primitives to form complex three-dimensional shapes. 
     Superquadric volume primitives are generated by ruled shape functions which describe a family of straight lines having both direction and magnitude or, in other words, a family of vectors. These ruled shape functions are based upon the concept of the parameterization of a ruled surface exemplified by S 2 shown in FIG. 1. The surface S 2 is described mathematically by the following function: 
     
         S(v,u)=R(u)+vA(u) 
    
     where the variable u indicates a certain angular position along the lower border of the surface S 2, R(u) is a position vector leading from the origin of the coordinate system used (indicated by the x, y, and z axes on FIG. 1) to a certain angular position u on the lower border of the surface S 2, and A(u) is a line vector from angular position u to the point on the top border of the surface S 2 corresponding to angular position u. The parameter, v, is a scalar quantity which ranges from 0 to 1 and determines the magnitude of A(u). S (v, u) is simply the vector sum of R(u) and vA(u). Both R(u) and vA(u) are the ruled shape functions generating S(v, u). 
     When this concept is extended to three dimensions, we obtain a ruled volume function of three parameters u 1 , u 2 , and u 3 , an example of which is shown in FIG. 2. The superquadric volume primitives needed are a subset of the ruled volume functions generated. The ruled volume function shown in FIG. 2 is described by: 
     
         S(u.sub.1, u.sub.2, u.sub.3)=R.sub.0 +R.sub.1c (u.sub.1)+R.sub.2cc (u.sub.1, u.sub.2)+u.sub.3 A.sub.2cc (u.sub.1, u.sub.2)   (1) 
    
     where U 3  is the length by which A 2cc  (u 1 , u 2 ) must be multiplied, and u 1  and u 2  are angular parameters describing the angular positions of R 1c  (u 1 ), R 2cc  (u 1 , u 2 ), and A 2cc  (u 1 , u 2 ). The use of the c subscripts in the above equation contains information about the history of each quantity and how it relates to other quantities. For example, in the following expression: 
     
         Q.sub.c (u)=F.sup.Q.sub.c (Q.sub.0, Q.sub.1, E.sup.Q.sub.c, u) 
    
     the running subscript c indicates that Q c  (u) is the &#34;child&#34; or result of applying the given shape function F Q   c  to the basis or &#34;parent&#34; quantities Q 0  and Q 1 , the function parameter E Q   c , and the angular parameter u. 
     Applying these principles to our case, we obtain for R 1c  (u 1 ), R 2cc  (u 1 , u 2 ), and A 2cc  (u 1 , u 2 ) the following expressions: 
     
         R.sub.1c (u.sub.1)=F.sup.R.sub.1c (R.sub.10, R.sub.11, E.sup.R.sub.1c, u.sub.1) 
    
     
         R.sub.2cc (u.sub.1, u.sub.2)=F.sup.R.sub.2cc (R.sub.2c0 (u.sub.1), R.sub.2c1 (u.sub.1), E.sup.R.sub.2cc (u.sub.1), u.sub.2) 
    
     
         A.sub.2cc (u.sub.1, u.sub.2)=F.sup.A.sub.2cc (R.sub.2c0 (u.sub.1)+A.sub.2c0 (u.sub.1), R.sub.2c1 (u.sub.1)+A.sub.2c1 (u.sub.1), E.sup.A.sub.2cc (u.sub.1), u.sub.2)-R.sub.2c1 (u.sub.1, u.sub.2) 
    
     
         R.sub.2c0 (u.sub.1)=F.sup.R.sub.2c0 (R.sub.10 +R.sub.200, R.sub.11 +R.sub.210, u.sub.1)-R.sub.1c (u.sub.1) 
    
     
         R.sub.2c1 (u.sub.1)=F.sup.R.sub.2c1 (R.sub.10 +R.sub.201, R.sub.11 +R.sub.211, u.sub.1)-R.sub.1c (u.sub.1) 
    
     
         A.sub.2c0 (u.sub.1)=F.sup.A.sub.2c0 (R.sub.10 +R.sub.200 +A.sub.200, R.sub.11 +R.sub.210 +A.sub.210, E.sup.A.sub.2c0, u.sub.1)-R.sub.2c0 (u.sub.1)-R.sub.1c (u.sub.1) 
    
     
         A.sub.2c1 (u.sub.1)=F.sup.A.sub.2c1 (R.sub.10 +R.sub.201 +A.sub.201, R.sub.11 +R.sub.211 +A.sub.211, E.sup.A.sub.2c1, u.sub.1)-R.sub.2c1 (u.sub.1)-R.sub.1c (u.sub.1) 
    
     We can also obtain expressions for the function parameters E Q   2cc  (u 1 ) as a squareness function G Q   2cc  of the base values E Q   20c  and E Q   21c , a second function parameter E Q   2cc , and the angular parameter u 1  (Q=R, A): 
     
         E.sup.Q.sub.2cc (u.sub.1)=G.sup.Q.sub.2cc (E.sup.Q.sub.20c, E.sup.Q.sub.21c, E.sub.2cc, u.sub.1). 
    
     The parameters E Q   2cc  (u 1 ) defined by the above equation are squareness parameters and vary with the parameter u 1  in the same way that R 1c  (u 1 ), R 2c  (u 1 , u 2 ), and A 2cc  (u 1 , u 2  functions of u 1 . E Q   20c  and E Q   21c  are basis quantities partially determining E Q   2cc  (u 1 ). E Q   2cc  are the rotation parameters that determine the squareness parameters E Q   2cc  (u 1 ). 
     Returning to Equation (1) and with reference to FIG. 2, we proceed to define the terms in Equation (1) explicitly. R 0  is a position vector determining the position of the origin of the local coordinate system (indicated in FIG. 2 by the V 1 , V 2  and V 3  axes) with respect to the origin of the global coordinate system (indicated in FIG. 2 by the x, y, and z axes) and indicates the position from which the first ruled shape function R 1c  (u 1 ) will be extended in generating the volume desired. R 1c  (u 1 ) is a function of the angular parameter u 1 . R 2cc  (u 1 , u 2 ) is the second ruled shape function used in generating the volume desired and is a function of angular parameter u 2 , as well as u 1 . Finally, A 2cc  (u 1 , u 2 ) is the third ruled shape function used in generating the volume desired and again is a function of angular parameters u 1  and u 2 . The parameter u 3  is a scalar quantity which ranges from 0 to 1 and determines the length of A 2cc  (u 1 , u 2 ). 
     The shape functions F and squareness function G referred to in the expressions for R 2cc  (u 1 , u 2 ), A 2cc  (u 1 , u 2 ), and E Q   2cc  (u 1 ) must be smooth, continuous functions in the range of u 1  and u 2  depending on the particular function. 
     Two useful functions which satisfy the requirements for F and G are the superinterpolator and the superelliptic. Taking R 2cc  (u 1 , u 2 ) as an example, and recognizing that R 2cc  (u 1 , u 2 ) has three components along the V 1 , V 2 , and V 3  axes, r 2cc1  (u 1 , u 2 ), r 2cc2  (u 1 , u 2 ), and r 2cc3  (u 1 , u 2 ), the expression for the superinterpolator is: 
     
         r.sub.2cci (u.sub.1, u.sub.2)= r.sub.2c01 (u.sub.1).sup.ε.spsp.r.sbsp.2cci.sup.(u.sbsp.1.sup.) +d(u.sub.2)(r.sub.2cli (u.sub.1).sup.ε.spsp.r.sbsp.2ccl.sup.(u.sbsp.1.sup.) -r.sub.sc0i (u.sub.1).sup.ε.spsp.r.sbsp.2cci.sup.(u.sbsp.1.sup.))!.sup.1/.epsilon..spsp.r.sbsp.2cci.sup.(u.sbsp.1.sup.) 
    
     where r 2cci  (u 1 , u 2 ) is the ith component of R 2cc  (u 1 , u 2 ), (i=1, 2, 3), ε q   2cci  (u 1 )=2/e q   2cci  (u 1 ) where e q   2cci  (u 1 ) is the squareness parameter with respect to the i th  component of E Q   2cc  (u 1 ), and d(u 2 )=u 2  or 
     
         d(u.sub.2)=cos.sup.2  (1-u.sub.2)π/2! 
    
     are two possible expressions for d(u 2 ). 
     The superelliptic function using analogous notation to that employed for the superinterpolator function, is expressed by: 
     
         r.sub.2cci (u.sub.1, u.sub.2)=d.sub.i (θ)R*.sub.i (θ) 
    
     where θ=u 2  π/2 ##EQU2## 
     Once a plurality of superquadric volume primitives have been obtained and after converting the volume primitives into voxels in voxel space Z, the points may be combined into a volumetric representation of a given complex three-dimensional object. This is done by combining pairs of coincident voxels (Z 1  (C), Z 2  (C)), where C are the coincident voxel coordinates of two volume primitives which produce sets of voxels Z 1  and Z 2 , from the primitives according to the following Boolean operations: ##EQU3## 
     It should be noted that, although three ruled shape functions, R 1c  (u 1 ), R 2cc  (u 1 , u 2 ), and u 3  A 2cc  (u 1 , u 2 ), are sufficient to generate the superquadric volume primitives, in many cases n ruled shape functions, (n&gt;3), of the form: ##EQU4## may be used to generate the superquadric volume primitives, holding all but two angular parameters u 1 , . . . , u n-1  constant and allowing scalar parameter u n  to vary in order to simplify the resulting expression. The subscripts c 1 , . . . , c m  (m=i, k-1, k) in the preceding expression represent the fact that the variable subscripted is the m th  generation &#34;child&#34; of 2 m  first generation basis quantities. The subscripts p k+1 , . . . , p i-h  in the preceding expression represent the fact that the variable subscripted is the (i-k) th  level &#34;parent&#34;, or basis quantity, for the last generation child. Finally the j subscripts j=1, 2, 3) represent the three components of each variable subscripted along the V 1 , V 2 , and V 3  axes. 
     After a given complex three dimensional shape is generated by the aforementioned process, a mask is applied to the model shape and for every voxel in the model shape a search is made for adjacent voids. If adjacent voids are found, then the voxel can be identified as a surface voxel and it will be saved for further processing; otherwise it will be discarded. Surface voxels are the ones that are of primary interest when a robot attempts to match an object to the model in the object library since the robot normally only makes sensory contact with the surface of an object. An example of a sphere composed of surface voxels is shown in FIG. 3. Any three dimensional shape generated by the aforementioned process may be displayed on a personal computer monitor screen. 
     In order to accurately and efficiently convey information about an object&#39;s shape, it is advantageous to incorporate the subset of surface voxels as vertices of a directed edge graph which also includes edges and faces to represent the object&#39;s surface. A common structure used to represent an edge graph is known as the Winged Edge graph structure, {W-E}, using the symbols V for vertex, E for edge, and F for face. Using standard set notation and functional notation, the data stored in the computer for the graph structure is: 
     
         {W-E}={{E(V), s(V)}, {V(E).sub.s, E(E).sub.st, s(E).sub.st, t, t(E).sub.st, F(E).sub.t,}, {F(F), E(F), t(F)}}                         (2) 
    
     where s=d,u, t=l,r, and d=&#34;down&#34;, u=&#34;up&#34;, l=&#34;left&#34;, and r=&#34;right&#34;, are the adjacency directions. If should be noted that, strictly speaking, the adjacency directions, s(V), s(E) st , t(E) st  and t(F), are not necessary for a complete specification of a Winged Edge graph structure, but are included herein for the efficient running of the algorithm generating a {W-E} from the surface voxels under consideration. 
     FIG. 4 shows an example of a basic Winged Edge graph structure and FIG. 5 lists the corresponding adjacencies. The adjacency directions can be best explained by reference to FIG. 4. V 2  is said to be an &#34;up&#34; vertex because edge E 1  is incident into V 2  and V 1  is said to be a &#34;down&#34; vertex because edge E 1  is incident out of V 1 . Edge E 5  is said to have an &#34;up right&#34; adjacency to E 1  because edge E 5  is to the right of the &#34;up&#34; or arrow end of E 1 . Likewise, E 1  is said to have a &#34;down right&#34; adjacency to E 2  since E 1  is to the right of the &#34;down&#34; or tail end of E 2 . Adjacency relationships between other edges shown in FIG. 4 can be explained analogously to the explanation given above. Edges E 4 , E 5 , E 2 , and E 3  are said to be the wings of edge E 1  ; hence the name Winged Edge graph structure. Finally, faces F 1  and F 2  can be said to be &#34;right&#34; or &#34;left&#34; with respect to edge E 1  if an observer is looking along edge E, in the direction indicated by the arrow representing E 1 . 
     The terms of equation (2) have the following significance. E(V) contains, for each vertex V, one of the edges E incident on the vertex V. s(V) contains, for each vertex V, a label indicating whether vertex V is an &#34;up&#34; vertex or, in other words, has label u or whether vertex V is a &#34;down&#34; vertex or, in other words, has label d for the edge E(V). V(E) s  contains, for each edge E, a pair of values indicating the vertex V i  which is the &#34;up&#34; vertex for that edge as well as vertex V j  which is the &#34;down&#34; vertex for that edge. E(E) st  contains, for each edge E, a set of the four edges that are adjacent to edge E (namely the &#34;down left&#34;, &#34;up left&#34;, &#34;down right&#34;, and &#34;up right&#34; edges). s(E) st  contains, for each of the edges contained in E(E) st , which are the set of the four edges adjacent to edge E, the &#34;up&#34; or &#34;down&#34; direction of edge E with respect to each of the edges in E(E) st . t(E) st  contains, for each of the edges contained in E(E) st , which are the set of the four edges adjacent to edge E, the &#34;left&#34; or &#34;right&#34; direction of edge E with respect to each of the edges in E(E) st . F(E) t  contains, for each edge E, the &#34;left&#34; and &#34;right&#34; faces with respect to that edge E. F(F) contains the oldest ancestor of face F prior to the first face-joining (this procedure is explained below) involving face F. E(F) contains, for each face F, an edge that surrounds that face. t(F) contains, for each face F, the &#34;left&#34; or &#34;right&#34; direction of that face F with respect to edge E(F). FIG. 5 illustrates, by way of example, the values of each element of equation (2) for FIG. 4. 
     The algorithm for automatically generating a {W-E} from a given model shape&#39;s surface voxels or vertex list begins by searching the voxel space Z, using Cartesian coordinates, for the first occurrence of a surface voxel or vertex V and, upon finding V, initializing {W-E} as a self-loop (edge pointing to itself) with the following assignments: 
     E(V)←E 
     V(E) s  ←V(s=d, u) 
     E(E) st  ←E(t=l, r) 
     F(E) t  ←F 
     F(F)←F 
     E(F)←E 
     (Although the algorithm begins with a self-loop, which is an abstraction that does not exist in physical space, the algorithm guarantees two-manifold surfaces result in this and other non-manifold situations by subdividing the voxel space, if necessary.) Then the algorithm continues, for each vertex V, by forward searching normally, diagonally, and at comers by Cartesian coordinates for adjacent vertices V i . If an adjacent vertex V i  is found, an edge E is created between the vertex V and the adjacent vertex V i  by the following assignments: 
     E(V)←E 
     s(V)←d 
     V(E) d  ←V 
     V(E) u  ←V i   
     E(V i )←E 
     s(V i )←u 
     Newly created edges E j  pair with an existing edge E if they share a common vertex such that: 
     
         V(E).sub.f =V(E.sub.j).sub.g 
    
     where f, gεs. 
     If this condition is true, the adjacency relationships between E j  and E are defined according to the following assignments: 
     E(E) d (x 12 .sub.)r(x 13 .sub.) ←E j   
     s(E) d (x 12 .sub.)r(x 13 .sub.) ←d.sub.(x 1 .sub.) 
     t(E) d (x 12 .sub.)r(x 13 .sub.) ←l.sub.(x 123 .sub.) 
     E(E j ) d (x 1 .sub.)l(x 123 .sub.) ←E 
     s(E j ) d (x 1 .sub.)l(x 123 .sub.) ←d(x 12 ) 
     t(E j ) d (x 1 .sub.)1(x 123 .sub.) ←r(x 13 ) 
     where the subscript x is a symbolic truth variable that exists in either the true state (+1) or false state (-1) according to the rule: 
     
         {x: statement} 
    
     The variable x=+1 if the statement is true and x=-1 if the statement is false. The function of the variable is to switch the adjacency directions analogous to the way an `equivalent` electronic gate (a relational operator found in Symbolic Logic whose symbol is `.tbd.`) multiplies its inputs. For example, if x 1  =+1, x 2  =-1, and x 3  =-1, then: 
     
         x.sup.12 =x.sup.1 x.sup.2 =(+1)(-1)=-1 
    
     
         x.sup.123 =x.sup.1 x.sup.2 x.sup.3 =(+1)(-1)(-1)=+1 
    
     and results in d(x 1 )=d, d(x 12  x 2 )=u, r(x 13 )=1, and l(x 123 )=1. In addition, any occurrence of |s or |t switches the adjacency as if |s was written s(-1) and |t was written t(-1). 
     The first truth variable x 1  tests whether the sense of f is &#34;down&#34;: 
     {x 1  : f=d}. 
     The second variable x 2  tests whether the edge directions of the pair of edges E and E j  are opposing or aligned: 
     {x 2  : f=g}. 
     The third variable x 3  tests whether the resulting normal N=E×E j  points outward from the surface: 
     {x 3  : Z(C+N)=0}. 
     Occasionally, an edge E j  will be paired with an existing edge E which completes a closed loop of edges and establishes a new face F. The following assignments join a face to {W-E}: 
     F(E) r (x 23 .sub.) ←F 
     F(E j ) l (x 23 .sub.) ←F 
     F(E(E) dr (x 3 .sub.)) l (x 34 .sub.) ←F 
     F(F)←F 
     E(F)←E 
     t(F)←r(x 23 ) 
     where the fourth and fifth variables x 4  and x 5  test the adjacency of adjacent edges. If the loop contains three edges, then: 
     {x 4  : V(E(E) dr (x 3 .sub.)) d (x 2 .sub.) ≠V(E j ) d (x 2 .sub.) }. 
     However, if the loop contains four edges, then: 
     {x 4  :V(E) d  =V(E(E) dr (x 3 .sub.)) d  } 
     {x 5  :V(E(E)dr(x.spsb.3.sub.)) u (x.sbsp.4.sub.) =V(E(E(E) dr (x.spsb.3.sub.)) u (x.spsb.4.sub.)(x.spsb.34.sub.)).sub.u(x 4 .sub.) }. 
     and the following assignment statement is added to those specified above: 
     F(E(E(E) dr (x 3 .sub.)) u (x 4 .sub.)l(x 34 .sub.)) l (x 35 .sub.) ←F 
     An example of a Winged Edge graph structure for a sphere is shown in FIG. 6. 
     Although not necessary, by continuously inspecting adjacent faces of {W-E} for coplanarism, reduction in the size of {W-E} can be achieved without introducing ambiguity into the representation of the model shape. Thus, if the normals of the faces F(E) r  and F(E) l  have the same direction, then face F(E r (x 6 .sub.) can be joined to F(E) r (x 6 .sub.) by the following assignment: 
     F(F(E) l (x 6 .sub.))←F(E) r (x 6 .sub.) 
     where the sixth variable x 6  compares the order or ancestry of the faces: 
     {x 6  :F(E) r  &lt;F(E) l  }. 
     The oldest ancestor of any face F can be determined by the following search routine: 
     F*(F)={do{F=F(F)} until (F=F(F)); return F}. 
     {W-E} is revised and reduced after every face-joining by removing or killing the edge common to both faces, E, as specified in the following assignments: 
     E(E(E) st ) s (E(E).sbsb.st.sub.)t(E(E).sbsb.st)←E(E) slt   
     s(E(E) st ) s (E(E).sbsb.st.sub.)t(E(E).sbsb.st)←s(E) slt   
     t(E(E) st ) s (E(E).sbsb.st.sub.)t(E(E).sbsb.st)←t(E) slt   
     where s=d, u, t=1, r. 
     FIGS. 7, 7a and 7b show face F 2  joined to F 3  and face F 1  joined to F 4  using the edge-killing procedure which kills edges E 5  and E 6 . 
     If a face-joining results in the most recently created edge E having overlapping wings of equal slopes (E(E) fh  =E(E) flh  ; fεs, hεt), then an edge-joining procedure can also be done (since the order of edges is not critical, it is easier to join the most recently created edge E to the wing than vice versa) of the undirectional, collinear edges having a common vertex by the following assignments: 
     E(V(E) lf )←E(E) fh   
     s(V(E) lf )←S(E) fh   
     V(E(E) fh ) s (E).sbsb.fh ←V(E) lf   
     E(E(E) ft ) s (E).sbsb.fh t (E).sbsb.fh ←E(E) lft   
     E(E(E) lft ) s (E).sbsb.lft t (E) lft  ←E(E) ft   
     s(E(E) ft ) s (E).sbsb.lft t (E).sbsb.lft ←s(E) lft   
     s(E(E) lft ) s (E).sbsb.lft t (E) lft  ←s(E) ft   
     t(E(E) ft ) s (E).sbsb.fh t (E).sbsb.fh ←t(E) lft   
     t(E(E) lft ) s (E).sbsb.lft t (E) lft  ←t(E) ft   
     where t=1, r. 
     FIG. 8 shows the result of joining edges E 1  and E 2  in FIG. 7b. 
     The Winged Edge graph structure for the sphere in FIG. 5 reduced by face-joining, edge-kllling, and edge-joining is shown in FIG. 9. 
     A computer program listing of a computer program performing most of the steps in the algorithm specified above follows this portion of the specification as an Appendix and is part of this disclosure. 
     The computer program is in the computer programming language C and contains a &#34;main&#34; routine (a term of art well known to those ordinarily skilled in the art of C programming) and various subroutines. However, the computer program could be implemented in many other computer programming languages as is well known to those ordinarily skilled in the art of computer programming. 
     The computer program listing contains subroutines that provide for a graphical user interface. The graphical user interface allows the user to specify various superquadric volume primitives that he wishes to combine, the method of combination, and the position of such volume primitives, with rotation and translation of such volume primitives allowed, and displays both the surface voxel version and the Winged Edge graph structure version of the resultant three-dimensional object. The superquadric volume primitives are restricted to a sphere, cylinder, cone, cube, and box. 
     The computer program generates superquadric volume primitives by generating a series of discrete points represented by their three-dimensional coordinates to represent ruled shape functions and then uses voxels which include those discrete points and the points included in the volume &#34;swept out&#34; by the ruled shape functions to represent superquadric volume primitives. The superquadric volume primitives may be combined using the Boolean operations of union and difference, which are sufficient for robotic recognition applications. The Boolean operations of complement and intersection are not presently implemented by this computer program, but it may be easily extended to include these operations. The computer program discards all voxels other than the surface voxels of the object represented prior to further processing. 
     The computer program then proceeds to generates the Winged Edge graph structure from the list of surface voxels. In doing so, it uses a number of truth variables in addition to those specified herein. Those truth variables were discovered not to be necessary to the implementation of this algorithm after the writing of the computer program so they are not included in the preceding disclosure. 
     While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, various modifications, alterations, and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims. 
     Unpublished work ®1995 Glenn M. Friedman. ##SPC1##