Medial Axis Aware Learning of Signed Distance Functions

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Weidemaier, Samuel, Norden-Smoch, Christoph, Rumpf, Martin
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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_version_ 1866917417607757824
author Weidemaier, Samuel
Norden-Smoch, Christoph
Rumpf, Martin
author_facet Weidemaier, Samuel
Norden-Smoch, Christoph
Rumpf, Martin
contents We propose a novel variational method to compute a highly accurate global signed distance function (SDF) to a given point cloud. To this end, the jump set of the gradient of the SDF, which coincides with the medial axis of the surface, is explicitly taken into account through a higher-order variational formulation that enforces linear growth along the gradient direction away from this discontinuity set. The eikonal equation and the zero-level set of the SDF are enforced as constraints. To make this variational problem computationally tractable, a phase field approximation of Ambrosio-Tortorelli type is employed. The associated phase field function implicitly describes the medial axis. The method is implemented for surfaces represented by unoriented point clouds using neural network approximations of both the SDF and the phase field. Experiments demonstrate the method's accuracy both in the near field and globally. Quantitative and qualitative comparisons with other approaches show the advantages of the proposed method.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_16512
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Medial Axis Aware Learning of Signed Distance Functions
Weidemaier, Samuel
Norden-Smoch, Christoph
Rumpf, Martin
Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
Computational Geometry
Graphics
Machine Learning
Numerical Analysis
65K10, 68T07, 65D18, 49J45
G.1.6; I.3.5; I.3.7; I.4.5
We propose a novel variational method to compute a highly accurate global signed distance function (SDF) to a given point cloud. To this end, the jump set of the gradient of the SDF, which coincides with the medial axis of the surface, is explicitly taken into account through a higher-order variational formulation that enforces linear growth along the gradient direction away from this discontinuity set. The eikonal equation and the zero-level set of the SDF are enforced as constraints. To make this variational problem computationally tractable, a phase field approximation of Ambrosio-Tortorelli type is employed. The associated phase field function implicitly describes the medial axis. The method is implemented for surfaces represented by unoriented point clouds using neural network approximations of both the SDF and the phase field. Experiments demonstrate the method's accuracy both in the near field and globally. Quantitative and qualitative comparisons with other approaches show the advantages of the proposed method.
title Medial Axis Aware Learning of Signed Distance Functions
topic Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
Computational Geometry
Graphics
Machine Learning
Numerical Analysis
65K10, 68T07, 65D18, 49J45
G.1.6; I.3.5; I.3.7; I.4.5
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.16512