Among the courses at this year’s SIGGRAPH (an annual technical conference and showcase of the latest in computer graphics research) was an introduction to 3D scanning that covers all the bases: mathematical foundations, two different build-your-own hardware approaches, and how to process and render the resulting datasets. The presenters have assembled all the course materials on a top-notch web site featuring slide shows, complete source code, and an extensive round-up with links to both commercial and homebrew 3D scanning gear. The simplest of these methods requires nothing more than a webcam, halogen light source, and a stick!
SIGGRAPH and 3D scanning have been highlighted many times on Hack a Day, but we’re swelling with pride now seeing an academic venue give a favorable nod to the DIY hacking community (on their links page). Okay, so Hack a Day isn’t called out by name, but just wait’ll next year!
[Thanks Fahrzin]
I saw a thing a while back where someone used a 3d object and placed it in a bowl of milk slowly adding dropper after dropper of milk and taking pictures/scanning it rendered a perfect 3d scan…
stinkymonkey, that’s Friedrich Kirschner with his ink scanning/milk scanning.
It’s worth describing the technique in the image above, as it’s completely ingenious: point-light source + a straight stick, then tracking the edges of the shadows.
Check FREEWARE davinci 3d scanner! but it’s great to see some free source about structured light, getting close to microvision 3d laser projector utilities…