Engadget

FARO Focus 3D scanner captures big 3D models from a tiny Lego trolly (video)

Mat Smith — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:18:00 EST

Nothing catches our collective eye quite as easily as the combination of high technology and childhood toys. Making a play for our man-childhood inclinations today is a Lego-augmented FARO Focus 3D, purportedly the world's smallest 3D laser scanner yet still able to detect surroundings up to 120 metres away. It can grab a cloud of points, then offer up a detailed three-dimensional model of the environment, with some extra details (thanks to those Lego wheels) that would have been obscured on a static 3D capture. Admittedly, it doesn't quite have the wow-factor of an all-Lego 3D scanner, but its range (and possible use in forensic crime scene analysis) has kept us intrigued. Check out the video after the break to investigate how you could get your CSI on.

Continue reading FARO Focus 3D scanner captures big 3D models from a tiny Lego trolly (video)

FARO Focus 3D scanner captures big 3D models from a tiny Lego trolly (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

HP TopShot LaserJet Pro M275 scans 3D objects but only prints in 2D (video)

Daniel Cooper — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 23:59:00 EST

For some reason, HP thinks your small business really needs the ability to scan 3D objects -- which is why it is releasing the TopShot LaserJet Pro. "TopShot" is the fancy name for the all-in-one's overhanging arm with a high resolution camera, which combines six images (three with flashes from different angles, and three in ambient light conditions with different exposure levels) to mimic a studio-like product shot. What's more, thanks to the Biz Card app, the TopShot can scan and import multiple business cards simultaneously. Also included are Google Documents integration and cloud apps as well as the usual ePrint and AirPrint features, which you can run without a computer on the 3.5-inch touchscreen. HP isn't talking about pricing or availability, but you can see a walkthrough of the TopShot after the break.

Continue reading HP TopShot LaserJet Pro M275 scans 3D objects but only prints in 2D (video)

HP TopShot LaserJet Pro M275 scans 3D objects but only prints in 2D (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Sep 2011 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Laser backpack creates instant 3D maps, Venkman reminds you to not cross the streams (video)

Tim Stevens — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 11:36:00 EST

Total protonic reversal? Small price to pay for an instantaneous 3D scan of a building's interior. That's what the backpack pictured above delivers, a project from UC Berkeley students and faculty Matthew Carlberg, Avideh Zakhor, John Kua, and George Chen. The pack contains a suite of laser scanners and positional sensors that enable it to capture images of building interiors as a fleshy assistant roams their halls. Those images can then be automatically pieced back together to create a 3D representation. We're having visions of instant Doom II WADs but the real boon here could be an extension to Google Maps where you could not only get a Street View but also an interior view. You know, really scope out that little Thai joint before you schlep yourself all the way downtown.

Continue reading Laser backpack creates instant 3D maps, Venkman reminds you to not cross the streams (video)

Laser backpack creates instant 3D maps, Venkman reminds you to not cross the streams (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 11:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Cut-rate, webcam-based 3D scanner coming soon to a MakerBot store near you

Joseph L. Flatley — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:59:00 EST

3D scanning seems magical enough without bringing things like Lego Mindstorms contraptions into the mix. Now a cat named Andy Barry (a research engineer at NASA Ames Research Laboratory's Autodesk Innovations Lab) has gone and built one out of a webcam, a laser, and a whole lot of moxie. The premise is pretty straight-forward: a red laser sweeps across an object while the webcam keeps an eye on the beam's deflection (the more the beam shifts, the closer the object is to the camera). The computer uses this data to calculate the thickness of the object. Sounds like the perfect compliment to your Cupcake 3D printer, eh? With any luck, you should see it at the MakerBot store at around the $200 mark sometime this fall.

Cut-rate, webcam-based 3D scanner coming soon to a MakerBot store near you originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Aug 2010 11:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Lo Res Project builds abstract low-poly models of luxury cars and other trinkets

Vlad Savov — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 04:15:00 EST

Triangles. Their scarcity has been the bane of gamers since the dawn of time (circa 1993) and every single leap forward in graphical performance has been tied to increasing polygon counts and smoothing out curvatures. Color us amused, then, to see someone going in the opposite direction for art's sake. The Lo Res Project from United Nude scans in 3D models of everyday objects -- like a Lamborghini Countach, we've all got one of those, right -- before scaling down the complexity of the resulting data to achieve radical-looking angular representations of the original as above. The best part, however, is that if they're really happy with their digital outcome, the designers go and build the damn thing in the real, living, breathing world. Some might describe it as sophistication through simplification, but we just see it as one of the truly geekiest ways to decorate your abode. Hit the source for a picture gallery.

Lo Res Project builds abstract low-poly models of luxury cars and other trinkets originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 Aug 2010 04:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Creator of ProFORMA 3D scanning system talks details, availability

Donald Melanson — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 04:49:00 EST

Still a bit curious how the ProFORMA system developed at Cambridge University can turn any old webcam into a fairly advanced 3D scanner? Then settle in for a few minutes, as the researcher behind the project, Qi Pan, has taken a bit of time to chat with the Shapeways blog about the how the system came to fruition and its potential availability to the public. Interestingly, he actually started out trying to model outdoor scenes, but moved to smaller objects after discovering that the processing power required was beyond his reach. That led to about a year and half of work on the current system, which works in two stages: the first being a tracker that works out the position and orientation of the object relative to the camera, and the second being the reconstruction stage, which seems to be as effortless to use as it is complicated to explain. Perhaps the best news, however, is that Qi says he soon plans to release a Linux-based demo to the general public, and a Windows version shortly thereafter.

Creator of ProFORMA 3D scanning system talks details, availability originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 04:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Z Corporation debuts "world's most affordable" portable 3D scanner, still more expensive than your car

Donald Melanson — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 06:19:00 EST

Sure, you might be able to get by with a home-built, even Lego-built 3D scanner in a pinch, but those looking for a truly portable, off-the-shelf solution have so far been limited to pricey options like Z Corporation's ZScanner 700. Well, it looks like good 'ol Z Corp has some good news and some bad news for you. The good news is that it's knocked over $10,000 off the price for its new ZScanner 600 model. The bad news? It'll still cost you $28,900. That'll get you a sampling speed of 18,000 measurements per second, however, along with an XY accuracy of up to 80 microns, resolution down to just 0.1 mm, a depth of field of 30 cm, a FireWire interface, and Z Corp's own ZScan Lite software (Windows only). It also uses an eye-safe laser, so there's nothing but hefty credit card bill standing between you and a trip to the uncanny valley.

[Via SlashGear]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Z Corporation debuts "world's most affordable" portable 3D scanner, still more expensive than your car originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 06:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Arduino finds yet another use in homebuilt 3D scanner

Donald Melanson — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:34:00 EST

The Arduino has long since proven itself to be one of the biggest boons to DIY heads since the soldering iron, but that doesn't mean it's not still able to impress, as amply demonstrated by this simple but effective homebuilt 3D scanner. While there's not exactly much to guide the rookies out there, the project does seem to be straightforward enough for anyone with a bit of experience, with the scanner itself comprised of nothing more than the Arduino, a couple of servos, and the Sharp GP2Y0A02YK Long Distance Measuring Sensor -- plus the necessary code, of course, which is conveniently provided at the link below. Once you've got everything pieced together, you should all set to make polar coordinate scans of your surroundings and watch the time fly by.

[Via Hacked Gadgets]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Arduino finds yet another use in homebuilt 3D scanner originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

3D scanner made entirely from Legos

Joseph L. Flatley — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 11:01:00 EST

We've seen some pretty kick-ass Lego creations over the years, and this one is no exception -- if anything, it gets bonus points for not only being a pretty sweet hack, but for enabling sweeter, more complex, hacks in the future. The 3D scanner was built by Philo Hurbain, who was looking for a way to model complex Lego parts for use in the LDraw CAD program. This bad boy -- including drive components and sensors -- is entirely made from the colorful plastic toy, except for the probe needle (an old school sewing needle, apparently). The "brain" of this thing is Mindstorms NXT. But that ain't all! Check out the device in action as it models a tiny Lego frog -- video after the break.

[Via Make]

Continue reading 3D scanner made entirely from Legos

Filed under: Peripherals

3D scanner made entirely from Legos originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

RealView unveils three 3D desktop scanners

Joseph L. Flatley — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:34:00 EST

We don't see too many 3D scanners 'round these parts, so we'll be excited to hit RealView 3D's booth at CES and see what all the fuss is about. The RealView 360? 3D Desktop Scanner is being billed as the world's first desktop scanner capable of capturing objects in their full 360? topographic glory, suitable for scanning mugs, model space ships, D&D figurines, and whatever else fits on its base. There are three models available: RealView 360 3D (the plain ol' VGA scanner), RealView 360 3D HD (for that hi-def resolution you crave) and RealView 360 HD Commercial (for large format scans and kiosks). Beyond that, we'll just have to wait for CES 2009 to open its doors. Soon.

RealView unveils three 3D desktop scanners originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Industrial Research creates 3D crime scene/movie set scanner

Donald Melanson — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 07:37:00 EST

New Zealand's Industrial Research looks to be attracting quite a bit of interest in its prototype handheld 3D scanner, snagging fellow New Zealanders Weta Digital to help put the technology through its paces and now hoping the police will hop on board to put the scanner to more grisly uses. According to the company, the scanner's equally adept at creating a detailed 3D model of a crime scene as it is of a movie set and, what's more, it can be done in only two minutes. The model can then be examined at will by police, presented to a jury, or be used to create the most disturbing Second Life avatar ever. The scanner itself consists of a digital camera with an on-board laser that determines the distance to the object, although it also apparently requires that targets be placed around the scene to properly scan the object -- or person, as the case may be. It also currently needs to be wired to a computer to work, although NZIR says the scanner will be fully wireless by the time its ready to hit the market two years from now.

[Via The Raw Feed]

Filed under: Media PCs

Industrial Research creates 3D crime scene/movie set scanner originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Nov 2006 07:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

ZScanner 700 -- almost as cool as a View-Master 3D

Paul Miller — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 08:25:00 EST

We're not sure anything could ever replace the satisfying "ca-click" sound of our old Fisher-Price View-Master 3D unit, but the ZScanner 700 3d scanner does have the bonus feature of actually being useful. Currently showing at SIGGRAPH '06 in Boston, the ZScanner 700 is a handheld unit that can scan and digitize 3D surfaces in real time, using laz0rs and dual cameras. The resulting 3D object is reflected on screen as it is imaged, and since you can move the imaged object and the ZScanner while capturing data continuously, you supposedly end up with a better model and less post processing as an end result (if their PR material is to be believed). The downside to all this freedom and accuracy is the ZScanner's $39,900 pricetag, but we're sure you can make all that back in a jiffy once you've built a functioning replicator to complement the device.

[Via Medgadget]

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Misc. Gadgets

ZScanner 700 -- almost as cool as a View-Master 3D originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Aug 2006 08:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments