Mark Thomas, President of Right Hemisphere, a company that provides visual information systems, says that after working with 3D for many years, their main goal is to now make 3D a common communication format for the future. “We’re looking to make standard 3D formats that everyone is familiar with. There has been no convenient simile on the computer because of the amount of difficulties. Our goal is to make 3D a convenient communication format on the computer platform.

“It’s not always practical to build a physical model – but as any designer will tell you there’s nothing like a prototype because people don’t understand 2D drawings. It’s very difficult to transport a 3D model – much easier to look at it on a computer.

“People may even be able to operate a prototype. 3D is the way that we all naturally understand the world.”

Industrial Research is focusing on creating a technology platform around three dimensional digital scene cloning. Essentially that means developing devices for scanning, storing and reconstructing digital representations of a physical environment – in 3D.

First on the list in terms of actual product development is the scene-scanner. Scene-scanner is a flexible hand-held 3D scanning device which acquires photo-realistic 3D data over medium-sized static scenes (up to 50m2). It can rapidly record the scene or nearby objects as the scanner is moved around. The operator works much like a spray-painter, progressively covering the scene until the survey is completed. The result is a large computer file which can be stored and processed so that it can be visualised for virtual fly-throughs, scene re-examinations, measurement and copying, digital manipulation and so on.

Existing scanning systems are typically tripodmounted laser-scanners that acquire only geometric measurements.

Photo-realism can only be obtained by subsequent texture mapping using camera-derived image data. Such scanners are limited in capability – offering only a single viewpoint – and are cumbersome and expensive. A few mobile scanners are available, but so far are only useable in restricted environments over small areas. Industrial Research expects the technology to be fast, cost-effective and flexible in terms of capturing data over medium to large areas.

Manager of Imaging & Sensing at Industrial Research, Chris Bowman, says development of the first product is well underway and there are longer term plans for products on a much larger scale. For example, you could have scanners mounted on a helicopter or moving vehicle to capture much larger terrains, such as rural or city landscapes.

Mark Thomas says Right Hemisphere has partnered with Industrial Research because they see huge scope for this technology within their business – particularly in the manufacturing area.

Right Hemisphere has traditionally dealt with the film, game and entertainment sectors and now they’re applying their 3D work into computerbased training, technical documenting and visualization areas. “We’re very keen to work with Industrial Research on this technology because we see it as being key to growing the need and demand for our products and services.

“The scanning technology would likely create new market needs in several areas. There’ll always be a demand from movie and gaming companies but other possibilities include crime scenes, as-built surveying, heritage sites and works of art, to name but a few”.

Chris Bowman sees crime and accident scenes as being the first big pull for the scanning technology.

“Currently the police can’t go back to a scene to re-examine it because it naturally has to be cleared away as soon as possible. The best police can do now is to photograph and survey the scene at the time and later recreate a 2D version of what is recalled. With the scene-scanner device they will be able to rapidly capture a spatially accurate and photo-realistic 3D representation which can be re-examined at will during an investigation or even a court case.”

Mark Thomas cites defence and aerospace as being another big demand area, where people have to interact with complex equipment. “We’re working with IRL to define the market needs for 3D scanning technology.

One of the main sources for that 3D data is engineering design. There’s an awful lot of things not using 3D cad – it’s a matter of getting the rest of the world into 3D. We see 3D scanners as the most important start to that.”

Industrial Research is committed to developing the 3D technology platform, and is actively seeking financial backing from other interested sources, to ensure the technology will soon reach markets worldwide.