Fraunhofer's Kolibri Cordless sensor snaps 3D images on the go

Sure, it might look like a Viewmaster 3D from your childhood, but this here stripe projection 3D sensor from Fraunhofer IOF is so much less exciting. The concept is simple enough: the Kolibri projects a stripe pattern onto the subject, and then the two "eyes" capture slightly distinct angles of the image to compose a 3D model of the object based on the deducted geometry. The technology has been available for a while, but this is apparently the first device to cram it into such a small and portable form factor. Yeah... we'll stick with the Viewmaster.

[Via About Projectors]

[TubeTop100.com @ Apr 4th 2008 9:06AM]

3d titties hooray!

[Structured Lighttogo @ Apr 4th 2008 9:08AM]

This is cool.

[Shane @ Apr 4th 2008 9:09AM]

Cool! A digital Viewmaster!

[Tanisha Turnbull @ Apr 4th 2008 9:17AM]

Soooo yesterday!

[CT @ Apr 4th 2008 9:20AM]

And the Porn Industry shoots off a 21 load salute to embrace the new revolution!

[NHAnimator @ Apr 4th 2008 9:21AM]

I have an even better 3D viewer for that purpose... my eyes.

[Se7enthSin @ Apr 4th 2008 9:31AM]

Clearly you guys don't understand the use of this superb piece of technology.
It doesn't make you 'see' things in 3d, it makes it possible to create a 3d model of objects/persons that you can easily import into whatever 3d program. Which used to be a costly affair in the past.

[Ryan Trevisol @ Apr 4th 2008 10:03AM]

This won't work for me. I only have two eyes.

[K Maven @ Apr 4th 2008 11:01AM]

Funniest post of the day award!

[jmiday @ Apr 4th 2008 11:14AM]

No

[jmiday @ Apr 4th 2008 11:15AM]

Replies not working?

[IndiaTech @ Apr 4th 2008 11:17AM]

@tubetop100.com

Go out, once in a while will ya...

[IndiaTech @ Apr 4th 2008 11:19AM]

Doesn't this look oddly familiar to Triklops from He-Man?

[Daniel @ Apr 4th 2008 12:13PM]

Yay !!!

[Alex @ Apr 4th 2008 12:15PM]

I'm just happy it's named after arguably the best 32x-based Hummingbird shooter available.

[tanooki2003 @ Apr 4th 2008 12:52PM]

And I thought Fraunhofer is responsible for the MPEG Layer 3 Professional codec.

[John Stracke @ Apr 4th 2008 1:12PM]

The grammar is pretty bad (they need some actual editors), but "this here stripe projection 3D sensor" isn't too bad. "This here" is Southernoid slang for "this"; "stripe projection" is effectively a compound word forming an adjective explaining how the 3D sensor works. It might be rephrased as "this 3D sensor, based on stripe projection"...or, with an actual editor, the writer might've been prodded to rephrase the whole sentence more clearly, such as:

"Sure, it might look like a Viewmaster 3D from your childhood, but the Kolibri 3D sensor, from Fraunhofer IOF, is *so* much less exciting." The "stripe projection" bit would be reserved for the sentence that explains how it works.

Oh, and it's not "deducted", it's "deduced".

[Image Processor @ Apr 4th 2008 1:18PM]

"stripe projection" == "structured light"

http://www.google.com/search?q=structured+light

[Sean @ Apr 4th 2008 2:24PM]

If you liked that, check out the Z-scanner video too.

http://www.zcorp.com/Products/3D-Scanners/ZScannerandtrade_800/spage.aspx

[Strange Quark Star @ Apr 4th 2008 5:19PM]

"this here stripe projector" is typical Engadget "Umgangssprache", not bad grammar. It adds yet another twist to otherwise boring tech reviews.
(German's my native language, too, albeit my second;)

[Strange Quark Star @ Apr 4th 2008 5:21PM]

Dammit, someone's already explained.
And what's happened with the reply system??

[Randavance @ Apr 4th 2008 10:33PM]

I wish I could hit the plus button a second time.

Kudos. Mucho kudos.

[Randavance @ Apr 4th 2008 10:35PM]

Wait, that was suppose to be directed at John Stracke.

I'm so confused.

[Patrick @ Apr 5th 2008 1:22AM]

John Stracke explains well below. Understand that much of the Engadget writing uses new, largely internet formed, slang and idioms in different contexts to be funny and create variation in the text. I personally enjoy this aspect of Engadget's writing style, and enjoy reading the articles. I also agree that there are plenty of mistakes, but they aren't unbearable, and they aren't frequently the common ones I see scattered throughout the internet, which makes the site much less aggravating to read. :)

[jamesFF @ Apr 5th 2008 2:11AM]

I once saw a disposable camera that had 3 lenses to photograph 3D images. The photos that you get had a rigid surface simular to those motion photos, which helps you view the photos at different angles.

[Nelson @ Apr 7th 2008 5:52AM]

Finally I can take that picture of that girl I'm stalking and have her forever. Just like Debeers Diamonds, stalking is forever!

[Daniel @ Nov 28th 2008 11:35PM]

I agree with Se7enthSin, if this little device works as proposed it is a marvel. Would be the first I know of to provide scanning 3D geometry on the fly in such a form factor. That's a very, very different thing from just taking 3D images.

A little side question: Is it just me (I am a native German speaker, that's why I wonder) or is the grammar in the Engadget entries really getting worse by the day? "[...] but this here stripe projection [...]"