Now we can easily scan at multiple heights
Photorealistic 3D scanning has unique requirements when compared to regular photography. Because a 3D model will be viewed from multiple perspectives, the 3D scanner must be able to capture multiple perspectives. Not only must you move left and right when scanning, you must also move up and down. This scissor jack was built to allow us to easily move the 3D-360 up and down. Tomorrow we begin scanning with this new capability.
The cameras are finally calibrated, and the communications and power systems are installed and working. Now I can finally begin producing scans to test and fine tune the software.
Today I scanned part of the lab, and the animated GIF illustrates the 3D nature of the scan. When producing a 3D model, multiple perspectives must be captured to fill in occlusions (blind spots). For this model, three scans from different locations were merged to produce a point cloud. The GIF consists of 7 different screen-shots of the point-cloud. While there are still occlusions, many have been filled. For example, notice that you can see both above and below the table.
The original 32-bit software that we use to turn pictures into 3D models is almost 5 years old, and it runs on 32-bit Windows XP. The old software often crashes when processing high resolution images because the 2GB memory limit isn’t enough to process the gigabytes of data that our scanner can quickly produce. Today’s scan was made on a computer running 64-bit Windows 7, and we are currently replacing the old 32-bits software with more advanced 64-bit code. The new software runs much faster in 64-bit mode because it can keep temporary files in RAM instead of writing them to and reading them from a slow disk. Even using a Solid State Drive (SSD) wastes minutes of unnecessary processing.
COMING UP: Much better scans processed by SketchUp & posted into Google Earth.
Categories: 3d, Camera Design, Camera Testing, image processing, Prototype4, SketchUp, Uncategorized Tags: 360, 3d, 3D scanner, 3d Software, computational imaging, point cloud
Nick sat patiently while he was scanned with Proto-4A.
3 shots merged with XFuse: an OSX front end to Enfuse/Enblend. This might be my new HDR tool of choice.
This hodgepodge of cameras, epoxy, and even duct tape was was used to develop 3D scanning software. After the research (late 2007) it was dissasembled and 7 of the 8 Canon 5Ds (I kept one =:-) were sold on E-bay. A much improved Prototype 4B with 10 custom cameras and lenses will allow a new phase of development in early 2009.
While developing calibration routines for my cameras these images were generated.