Automatic Generation of Structure Preserving Multiresolution Models

We are proposing a multiresolution representation which uses a subdivision surface as a smooth base surface with respect to which a high resolution mesh is defined by normal displacement. While this basic representation is quite straightforward, our actual contribution lies in the automatic generation of such a representation. Given a high resolution mesh, our algorithm is designed to derive a subdivision control mesh whose structure is properly adjusted and aligned to the major geometric features. This implies that the control vertices of the subdivision surface not only control globally smooth deformations but in addition that these deformations are meaningful in the sense that their support and shape correspond to the characteristic structure of the input mesh. This is achieved by using a new decimation scheme for general polygonal meshes (not just triangles) that is based on face merging instead of edge collapsing. A face-based integral metric makes the decimation scheme very robust such that we can obtain extremely coarse control meshes which in turn allow for deformations with large support.