What is this?
PCL (Point Cloud Library) is a standalone, large-scale open source project for 2D/3D image and point cloud processing, covering things like filtering, feature estimation, surface reconstruction, registration, model fitting and segmentation.
PCL (Point Cloud Library) is a standalone, large-scale open source project for 2D/3D image and point cloud processing, covering things like filtering, feature estimation, surface reconstruction, registration, model fitting and segmentation.Is this a library I link into my own C++ code, or a standalone app?It is a C++ library of modules that you build and link against in your own robotics/vision applications, not a GUI application.
It is a C++ library of modules that you build and link against in your own robotics/vision applications, not a GUI application.How do I build and install it?You compile it from source using the platform-specific tutorials for Linux, Mac OS X, or Microsoft Windows; it uses CMake/Make as the build system.
You compile it from source using the platform-specific tutorials for Linux, Mac OS X, or Microsoft Windows; it uses CMake/Make as the build system.What do I need before building it?A C++ compiler and CMake-based build toolchain (Makefiles are used), plus whatever third-party libraries PCL's modules depend on as covered in the per-platform compiling tutorials.
A C++ compiler and CMake-based build toolchain (Makefiles are used), plus whatever third-party libraries PCL's modules depend on as covered in the per-platform compiling tutorials.Are there any known rough edges to watch out for?The project warns that its old website was previously hacked and may still host malicious code, so users should rely on the new official site instead.
The project warns that its old website was previously hacked and may still host malicious code, so users should rely on the new official site instead.Who is this library aimed at?Researchers and engineers working on 3D perception, robotics, and computer vision who need point cloud processing building blocks for their own applications.
Researchers and engineers working on 3D perception, robotics, and computer vision who need point cloud processing building blocks for their own applications.Which platforms are officially supported?PCL has CI and tutorials for Ubuntu, Windows (x86/x64), and macOS, so it runs cross-platform on all three major desktop OSes.
PCL has CI and tutorials for Ubuntu, Windows (x86/x64), and macOS, so it runs cross-platform on all three major desktop OSes.Should I cite PCL in research?Yes, the project encourages researchers to cite PCL or its components when used for work or baselines, and provides a BibTeX entry for this purpose.
Yes, the project encourages researchers to cite PCL or its components when used for work or baselines, and provides a BibTeX entry for this purpose.What are similar projects?Open3D, colmap, openpose, nerfstudio, carla, pointdit, lingbot-map, spirula-studio
Open3D, colmap, openpose, nerfstudio, carla, pointdit, lingbot-map, spirula-studioWhich topics is it in?point-cloud, 3d-reconstruction, engineering, c-plus-plus, robotics, 3d, bsd, cpp, computer-vision, c++, research, gpu
point-cloud, 3d-reconstruction, engineering, c-plus-plus, robotics, 3d, bsd, cpp, computer-vision, c++, research, gpu