Hybrid feature CNN model for point cloud classification and segmentation

This study proposes a hybrid feature convolutional neural network (HFCNN) model for the complete description of three-dimensional (3D) point cloud features. The HFCNN confers sensitivity to the local, global, and single-point properties simultaneously by a feature vector space expansion. Wherein, a pointwise convolutional network sub-model realises the extraction of the local features by using a pointwise convolutional operator to process point cloud data directly. To consider the global properties of the point cloud, a central-point radiation model is constructed as an input of the feature layer in a non-network form. Meanwhile, the single-point behaviour is characterised by the solo point coordinate information in the network. Within the constructed solo-local-global feature space, i.e. the fusion of single point feature, local feature and global feature, the HFCNN model can handle 3D point cloud data with unstructured and unordered properties. The HFCNN can be directly applied to the point cloud classification and segmentation without the modification of the CNN structure and training procedure. The experimental results have shown the effectiveness of the proposed model in prediction of class labels and point-by-point labels.