Video coding of dynamic 3D point cloud data

Abstract

<p>Due to the increased popularity of augmented (AR) and virtual (VR) reality experiences, the interest in representing the real world in an immersive fashion has never been higher. Distributing such representations enables users all over the world to freely navigate in never seen before media experiences. Unfortunately, such representations require a large amount of data, not feasible for transmission on today's networks. Thus, efficient compression technologies are in high demand. This paper proposes an approach to compress 3D video data utilizing 2D video coding technology. The proposed solution was developed to address the needs of "tele-immersive" applications, such as VR, AR, or mixed reality with "Six Degrees of Freedom" capabilities. Volumetric video data is projected on 2D image planes and compressed using standard 2D video coding solutions. A key benefit of this approach is its compatibility with readily available 2D video coding infrastructure. Furthermore, objective and subjective evaluation shows significant improvement in coding efficiency over reference technology. The proposed solution was contributed and evaluated in international standardization. Although it is was not selected as the winning proposal, as very similar solution has been selected developed since then.</p>