Home 3D ‘photocopying’ around the corner
Feb 02, 2013 No Comments
3D NEWS> 3D PRINTING
A tablet looking 3D camera will allow owners of 3D printers to scan and replicate objects at home.
The Lynx A camera needs $50,000 of investment on Kickstarter to move closer to commercial reality and combines a 640×480 colour camera with a 3D scanning sensor to capture intricate volume data of a scene, object or person.
The Lynx A will be a simple, low cost device that, when booted up, offers three options – scene modelling, object modelling, and motion capture on a 14” screen.
Scene Modelling is more suitable for larger scenes. The user scans the surfaces around them which are stored efficiently in memory.
Object Modelling allows the user to walk around an object of interest and a watertight 3D model is carved out on screen. Object modelling with the Lynx A camera is said to be up to 100x faster than modelling by hand with a final result ready within seconds after pressing stop.
Motion Capture allows the user to point the camera at an actor and record the motion data without any markers. This data can then be used to animate computer generated characters; for example, you could turn your friend into a video game character!
What we find most interesting is the potential to replicate real objects in the home, when used in conjunction with a 3D printer, as it can export models in 3D print friendly files (.obj, .stl, or .ply)
The definition of the Lynx A camera’s scanner and quality of consumer 3D printers won’t be able to deliver accurate mimics; the 3D resolution of the Lynx A is 0.5 cm in comparison to 1 mm of a professional scanner like the 12,700 Euro Artec L for example. However, this could be a revolutionary first step. Most people do not have the skillset to model objects in CAD software and prepare for 3D printing. To be able to simply scan existing objects could open the door to more 3D printing opportunities, and simple enhancements could be offered in software (Ie – "make my new 3D scanned candle holder slightly squashed").
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According to Lynx Laboratories, you can even use the Lynx A camera to make a 3D printed figurine of yourself.
The company expects the camera to appeal to architectural surveyors, VFX artists and video game engineers. Bundled software will allow users to output renderings, take measurements and produce stereograms.
The Kickstarter campaign aims to raise $50,000 by March 1st and has already raised $12,000 since going live yesterday. Those who want to share their 3D scans can use Sketchfab which is a free web service to publish and display interactive 3D models.
STATS
Volume – 1m x 1m x 1m
3D Resolution – 0.5cm
Colour Resolution – 640×480
Raster Type – Blended
Refresh Rate – 100ms
Export Files - PLY, OBJ, STL, XYZ, JPS, BVH, and more.
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