The invention belongs to the technical field of visual tracking, and discloses a visual tracking method for
processing a partially-shielded flexible
linear object, which comprises the following steps of: acquiring
color image and depth image data based on an RGB-D camera, generating an initial state point from a first frame of image through
mask segmentation and
skeletonization processing operation, and in each subsequent frame, generating an initial state point from a second frame of image through
mask segmentation and
skeletonization processing operation; generating an
object point cloud by combining the
mask with the depth image; then, counting the density of
current point clouds around the state point, and marking the state point as visible or shielded; an analytical model based on space-time continuity of a flexible
linear object is established, a closed
form solution of a shielding position is deduced, and an iterative optimization process of a shielding state point position is eliminated, so that the calculation complexity is reduced, and efficient real-time tracking is realized; and meanwhile, the inherent space-time geometric evolution law of the flexible
linear object is utilized to construct a position
estimation model which can be directly analyzed and solved, so that the stability risk caused by iterative optimization is avoided, and the reliability and tracking stability of shielding position
estimation are remarkably improved.