Determining conformal transformations in from minimal correspondence data

In this paper, we derive a method to determine a conformal transformation in n‐dimensional Euclidean space in closed form given exact correspondences between data. We show that a minimal data set needed for correspondence is a localized vector frame and an additional point. In order to determine the conformal transformation, we use the representation of the conformal model of geometric algebra by extended Vahlen matrices— 2 ×2 matrices with entries from Euclidean geometric algebra (the Clifford algebra of ). This reduces the problem on the determination of a Euclidean orthogonal transformation from given vector correspondences, for which solutions are known. We give a closed form solution for the general case of conformal (in contrast, anti‐conformal) transformations, which preserve (in contrast, reverse) angles locally, as well as for the important special case when it is known that the conformal transformation is a rigid body motion—also known as a Euclidean transformation—which additionally preserves Euclidean distances. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.