Humans have the amazing capability to identify which material an object is made of, just by looking at it (for instance metal, plastic, rubber, wood, glass, or fabric). In addition, also based only on its visual appearance, we can often judge key properties of the material, such as if it is fragile or rigid, soft or hard, slippery or grippy, rotten or fresh, etc. This so-called material perception is an important function of the human visual system, and its evolution has enabled us to assess the environment surrounding us, and to survive in that environment. Understanding appearance of objects and surfaces is also of great importance in the contemporary society, e.g. the visual appearance, surface finish or generally aesthetic qualities, of commercial products are often key to their success in the market. 

3D acquisition and reproduction is an emerging field of research which makes it possible to capture and reproduce the texture and appearance of a wide range of materials and surfaces. Multiple application domains, like Medical, Cultural Heritage, Entertainment Industry, Construction, Computer Graphics, etc are heavily invested in accurate and precise acquisition and reproduction of material appearance of 3D objects. However, a fundamental neglected part of the workflow is the ability to match the desired appearance of materials in real life or the requirements of computer-generated designs for reproduction and manufacturing of objects. In the absence of well-validated tools and models that can measure, communicate and control the appearance of materials, the industry currently relies on a time-consuming and costly trial-and-error practice to generate approximate matches, or in some markets is unable yet to participate. This impacts on quality, consistency, and cost. Understanding 3D objects, techniques for 3D capture and reproduction should help address the limitations discussed above.

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