# Fast tree skeleton extraction using voxel thinning based on tree point cloud

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2110.09028 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2110.09028/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 1 of its 47 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 18 Oct 2021.

## Builds on (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Wood-leaf classification of tree point cloud based on intensity and geometrical information](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2108.01002/) (2021)

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Occlusion Reasoning for Skeleton Extraction of Self-Occluded Tree Canopies](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2301.08387/) (2023)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Tree skeleton plays an important role in tree structure analysis, forest inventory and ecosystem monitoring. However, it is a challenge to extract a skeleton from a tree point cloud with complex branches. In this paper, an automatic and fast tree skeleton extraction method (FTSEM) based on voxel thinning is proposed. In this method, a wood-leaf classification algorithm was introduced to filter leaf points for the reduction of the leaf interference on tree skeleton generation, tree voxel thinning was adopted to extract raw tree skeleton quickly, and a breakpoint connection algorithm was used to improve the skeleton connectivity and completeness. Experiments were carried out in Haidian Park, Beijing, in which 24 trees were scanned and processed to obtain tree skeletons. The graph search algorithm (GSA) is used to extract tree skeletons based on the same datasets. Compared with GSA method, the FTSEM method obtained more complete tree skeletons. And the time cost of the FTSEM method is evaluated using the runtime and time per million points (TPMP). The runtime of FTSEM is from 1.0 s to 13.0 s, and the runtime of GSA is from 6.4 s to 309.3 s. The average value of TPMP is 1.8 s for FTSEM, and 22.3 s for GSA respectively. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is feasible, robust, and fast with a good potential on tree skeleton extraction.