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Solving jigsaw puzzles by computer

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Abstract

An algorithm to assemble large jigsaw puzzles using curve matching and combinatorial optimization techniques is presented. The pieces are photographed one by one and then the assembly algorithm, which uses only the puzzle piece shape information, is applied. The algorithm was experimented successfully in the assembly of 104-piece puzzles with many almost similar pieces. It was also extended to solve an intermixed puzzle assembly problem and has successfully solved a 208-piece puzzle consisting of two intermixed 104-piece puzzles. Previous results solved puzzles with about 10 pieces, which were substantially different in shape.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Robotics Research Laboratory, Department of Computer Science, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, 251 Mercer Street, 10012, New York, NY, USA

    Haim Wolfson, Edith Schonberg, Alan Kalvin & Yehezkel Lamdan

Authors
  1. Haim Wolfson
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  2. Edith Schonberg
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  3. Alan Kalvin
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  4. Yehezkel Lamdan
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Additional information

Work on this paper has been supported by Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-82-K-0381, National Science Foundation Grant No. NSF-DCR-83-20085, and by grants from the Digital Equipment Corporation, and the IBM Corporation.

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Wolfson, H., Schonberg, E., Kalvin, A. et al. Solving jigsaw puzzles by computer. Ann Oper Res 12, 51–64 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02186360

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02186360

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