ArqballSpin
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Arqball modeling app now works almost anywhere
A while ago, we covered the Arqball Spin, a special stage which, when used with an app, allowed anyone to create a 3D model of any object by rotating your iPhone's camera around it a few times. Back then, the whole thing was more idea than actual product, because you needed a special setup (so your iPhone could line up and see what you were modeling at exactly the right angle). However, Arqball has now released a new version of the app, and it's a lot more adaptable. You can now use essentially any rotating stage (from a record turntable to a lazy susan), and the free app will let you capture and model almost any object. There's also a beta version of the app out for Android as well (though that doesn't matter much to us iOS users), and Arqball is also working on a feature that would let users import video of a spin from somewhere else, for example a higher quality DSLR, and/or share finished spin videos out to anyone else. The details on that aren't final yet -- Arqball says sharing may require an extra service fee of some kind. But clearly the tech is moving forward. In the future, getting a 3D view like this may be as simple as just taking a few pictures yourself.
New iOS app allows anyone to make 3D model from real object
Arqball Spin is a strangely-named iOS app that does something pretty magical: It will create fully spinnable 3D models from real-life objects. The app is available to download right now, so you can go and check it out for free. Engadget played with both the app and a stage (more on that in a second), and they have examples and video of how the app works. The model looks pretty great, even just viewed in a web browser. Basically, the app uses your iPad to take a series of pictures of an object, and then assembles those pictures into a "rotatable" model, essentially faking 3D (sort of similar to those old shots from The Matrix, where a series of cameras took a sequence of rotational photos that were then stitched together). The catch is that obviously all of those photos need to line up as exactly as possible. While (presumably) you could just hold your iPad in place, you'll get a rough result that jumps around in the frame, unless you get exactly the right angle every single time. To counteract this, Arqball is selling "stages" over on Kickstarter, which precisely holds and rotates your object. If you don't want to get involved in the Kickstarter (or just outright buy one after it's been funded, for $80 rather than $60), you can even make your own stage, as long as it rotates your object at the right speed. At any rate, it's a great idea, and it could mean some big things for 3D modeling in the future. We've also seen the iPad used to create 3D models that can then be printed, so someday, you might take a series of pictures of an object with your iPad, and then hook that up to a 3D printer to get a copy of that object for yourself. Very cool indeed.
Hands-on with Arqball Spin, the app that lets you create interactive 3D models
Sometimes, standard two dimensional photos, even those taken by a 41-megapixel sensor, simply aren't enough to accurately depict a three dimensional object. Enter Arqball Spin, a free app that lets anyone with an iOS device create high-quality 3D models of whatever they like. Using the iPhone's camera, the app takes a series of images and uses some software black magic to create the finished product. The model, or "spin", can be cropped and adjusted (brightness, saturation and contrast) like a regular photograph, plus users can create custom annotations to identify or comment on specific parts of the "spin" as well. Viewers can then rotate the model 360 degrees and zoom in on any part that piques their interest. While it's currently an Apple-centric affair, support for DSLRs and other hi-res cameras (by uploading videos to the company's website for processing) and other mobile platforms is in the pipeline. The app works best if the object is situated on Arqball's stage, which rotates at an optimal three RPM -- the stage isn't available yet, but the company's going the Kickstarter route to get the capital needed to start manufacturing. Those who pitch in now can grab a stage for $60, and it'll cost $20 more if you want to wait until it's on sale. Of course, the app still functions if you want to hold your iPhone or iPad and walk around your subject, but you won't get near the quality result that you can when using the stage. Because the "spins" are hosted on Arqball's servers, they can easily be embedded on any website via HTML. By making photo-realistic 3D modeling so easy and accessible, Arqball sees this technology as a perfect fit for online retailers, educators, and, ahem, even gadget reviewers. While the app holds obvious commercial appeal, the company's not counting out casual users, and hopes to see a future filled with user-created 3D content. We got to see the app in action, and walked away thoroughly impressed with both the speed of the app and the detailed models it produces -- but you don't have to take our word for it, see a sample spin and our hands-on video after the break.
