Information processing apparatus and subject information acquisition method

A subject information acquisition method by an information processing apparatus, comprising:

• acquiring data of polarization images in a plurality of azimuths captured by an imaging apparatus from different viewpoints;
• acquiring information regarding a position and posture of the imaging apparatus as viewpoint information;
• acquiring, by using polarization luminance of a pixel of interest representing a point of interest on a subject, an incident plane of observed light at the point of interest for each of the viewpoints first and acquiring point-of-interest state information in a world coordinate system by integrating the incident planes on a basis of a positional relation between the viewpoints;
• determining, on a basis of the incident plane acquired relative to a first viewpoint, a direction in which to move the viewpoint and determining a post-movement viewpoint when a given condition is met relative to the incident plane as a second viewpoint for which to derive the incident plane next;
• and
• outputting the point-of-interest state information.

A non-transitory, computer readable storage medium containing a computer program, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to carry out actions, comprising:

• acquiring data of polarization images in a plurality of azimuths captured by an imaging apparatus from different viewpoints;
• acquiring information regarding a position and posture of the imaging apparatus as viewpoint information;
• acquiring, by using polarization luminance of a pixel of interest representing a point of interest on a subject, an incident plane of observed light at the point of interest for each of the viewpoints first and acquiring point-of-interest state information in a world coordinate system by integrating the incident planes on a basis of a positional relation between the viewpoints;
• determining, on a basis of the incident plane acquired relative to a first viewpoint, a direction in which to move the viewpoint and determining a post-movement viewpoint when a given condition is met relative to the incident plane as a second viewpoint for which to derive the incident plane next;
• and
• outputting the point-of-interest state information.