APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ACQUIRING A TWO-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE OF THE SURFACE OF A THREE-DIMENSIONAL OBJECT

An apparatus for acquiring a two-dimensional image of an external surface of a three-dimensional object is described. The apparatus includes a conveyor for supporting and displacing the object, a camera for capturing images of portions of the object surface, and a friction member for rotating the object. The camera is configured to capture images corresponding to successive exposed portions of the object surface, and to sequentially capture the images as respective single frames. The apparatus further includes an electronic control unit adapted to read out a sub-frame from the single frame, store the sub-frame, and assemble successive sub-frames into an assembled frame corresponding to a two-dimensional image of an unpeeled surface area of the object.