

Software Turns Cheap Webcam Into Instant 3D Scanner - edw519
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/11/amazing-software-turns-cheap-webcam-into-instant-3d-scanner/

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Kliment
Whenever I see something like this I'm reminded of the introduction to
"Multiple View Geometry in Computer Vision", which is where a lot of this
"clever math" is described. Essentially, problems considered unsolvable ten
years ago are not only solvable, but simple, due to advances in _geometry_.
With just a little math, you can do things like this. I wonder why it took
this long for the people doing computer vision work to catch up with the math.

~~~
rtghgfvcdf
Because most commercial applications want accuracy and scale. So use
structured light, background target grids or multiple fixed cameras.

This technique needs fairly simple shapes and assumes that edges are square
etc. You couldn't use it to scan a clay model for CGI or a complex shape for
cad. You can use it to convert simple 3D objects into CAD but that's a bit
pointless compared to just drawing them in CAD.

It's clever, congratulations to Mr Pan, but it's not as earth shattering as
the press releases claim.

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RiderOfGiraffes
Dups:

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=954882>

<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=953961>

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kwamenum86
Has anyone tried this system that claims to do the same thing? Looks like it
was out before this latest link-bait: <http://www.david-laserscanner.com/>

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sharms
Does anyone have a working open source implementation of this?

I saw this video about a week or two ago, and decided to hook up at webcam to
python / pygame and try a few things, and I have trouble even checking what
colors changed each frame in under 1 second, I wonder what methods they are
using.

~~~
jacquesm
Python may not be your best bet for raw video processing at acceptable frame
rates. I'd suggest C or C++.

~~~
rtghgfvcdf
The open CV lib is in C (with IPP cpu-optomized assembler if you want) calling
the functions from python doesn't slow you down - unless you do something
really dumb like trying to itrerate over pixels in the python cde.

~~~
jacquesm
> I have trouble even checking what colors changed each frame in under 1
> second

