Fringe pattern correlator for three-dimensional object recognition

We propose a novel three-dimensional (3-D) object-recognition method based on a Fourier-transform profilometry technique and a two-dimensional (2-D) c orrelation technique. Height information on 3-D objects is transformed to p hase information on 2-D complex amplitude by use of the Fourier-transform p rofilometry technique. 3-D objects are recognized using correlation by use of the transformed complex amplitude. (C) 2000 Optical Society of America.