A Comparative Evaluation of Geometric Accuracy in NeRF and Gaussian Splatting

arXiv cs.RO / 4/21/2026

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Key Points

  • The paper argues that conventional computer-vision metrics for neural rendering emphasize image quality while missing surface geometry fidelity, which is crucial for robotics.
  • It proposes an evaluation pipeline specifically designed to measure geometric accuracy of neural rendering outputs, focusing on surface and shape fidelity.
  • The study includes a benchmark dataset of 19 diverse scenes to enable systematic, apples-to-apples comparisons of reconstruction methods.
  • The authors position this geometry-focused assessment as a complementary alternative to traditional visual metrics, aiming to improve reliability for geometry-dependent tasks.

Abstract

Recent advances in neural rendering have introduced numerous 3D scene representations. Although standard computer vision metrics evaluate the visual quality of generated images, they often overlook the fidelity of surface geometry. This limitation is particularly critical in robotics, where accurate geometry is essential for tasks such as grasping and object manipulation. In this paper, we present an evaluation pipeline for neural rendering methods that focuses on geometric accuracy, along with a benchmark comprising 19 diverse scenes. Our approach enables a systematic assessment of reconstruction methods in terms of surface and shape fidelity, complementing traditional visual metrics.