Locating facial features and pose estimation using a 3D shape model

We present an automatic method for locating facial features and estimating head pose in 2D images and video using a 3D shape model and local view-based texture patches. After automatic initialization, the 3D pose and shape are refined iteratively to optimize the match between the appearance predicted by the model, and the image. The local texture patches are generated using the current 3D pose and shape, and the locations of model points are refined by neighbourhood search, using normalized cross-correlation to provide some robustness to illumination. A key aspect is the presentation of a large-scale quantitative evaluation, comparing the method to a well-established 2D approach. We show that the accuracy of feature location for the 3D system is comparable to that of the 2D system for near-frontal faces, but significantly better for sequences which involve large rotations, obtaining estimates of pose to within 10° at headings of up to 70°. © 2009 Springer-Verlag.