SAN MATEO, CA (MakerFaire 2014) - Getting 3D models from photographs seems magical when you see the results, but there are some barriers with existing systems. Consider Autodesk's 123D Catch, which involves someone taking 30 to 40 photographs. That's a lot of photos. A lot of data. And time. And though you don't have to be precise, some technique is involved as you must take a series of photos in two different orbits around the object. What happens if the subject moves? Racks of cameras shooting simultaneously can alleviate the time issue, but that means you have to have 30-40 cameras.
Fuel3D was at Maker Faire offering a system that seems to do away with the above problems
- It takes one exposure*
- There is one device.
People were lining up at their booth to get their faces scanned. Catering to individual vanity proved to be the way to draw a crowd. The ragged, incomplete scans were far from flattering, but the novelty seemed to make up for it.
Fuel3D was developed for biomedical application -- wound care, in particular. It could certainly lend itself to fitting objects around the face such as sleep apnea masks or prosthetics. Live subjects are a specialty. I expect a premium importance has been placed on accuracy and so I was hoping it could also lend itself to 3D scans for reverse engineering or other modeling of existing 3D objects but Fuel3D adamantly states that it is not capable or interested in it. Pity. The Fuel3D system can have an accruacey of 0.250 mm with the right conditions.
The device, which looks more like my bathroom scale than my camera, uses twin cameras mounted some distance apart. It is the difference in position that is used to calculate the position of points of the object in 3D space. The camera records color properties surface point positions, so it is subject to reflectance. Irregular subjects and surfaces (faces, skin, body parts), artwork, food...work well, shiny, smooth, sharp edges... not so good.
Perhaps that is a deficiency that can be overcome in the software? I hope so. The Fuel3D device offers considerable advantage over multi-shot or multi-camera photogrammetry systems.
When and How Much?
The Fuel3D is expected to ship October 2014. You can pre-order one for $1450 with mesh software included.
For More Information
*Technically, not a single exposure but a series of shots are taken over half a second. Movement of the device during this time is removed from the result by using a optical "tracker," which the people at the booth were holding to their chins. A tripod mount would do away with the need for a tracker --though there is still a question as to movement by the subject.