How you can 3D-scan with your smartphone

Image via MIT

Viztu Technologies, a company formed by MIT students, created free online software in 2011 that enabled scanning with personal cameras. This advancement allowed the company to expand into a tech giant, enabling worldwide growth and renown to stem from the once small idea.

The website service, Hypr3D, was created by Viztu to generate 3D models of any live or inanimate object or any scene from a user-uploaded 2D video or photo. These images could be uploaded from smartphones, webcams, or digital cameras.

People were able to use the easiest and most convenient scanner of all; their own personal and portable device. Within minutes, users can snap a photo of their choosing and upload it. A 3D model is instantaneously created by Hypr3D. The 3D model can be sent off to be 3D printed.

In 2012, Viztu won the grand prize in the “Innovative Web” category at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Accelerator competition. Later that year, Viztu was sold to 3D Systems, one of the largest 3D-printing companies in the world. At that time, Viztu was doing extremely well. It was contracted by many large clients, retaining thousands of downloads.

Currently, Hypr3D has written 15 pieces of software that are capable of running on different operating systems. They are all written in different programming languages. The software first finds the camera’s location, then performs a triangulation that computes the position of each point in the image. A point cloud is created, where scattered dots are virtually placed to outline the object that has been photographed. With computational tessellation, the software creates a surfaced mesh over the points, as a realistic model is created.

One of Viztu's original founders has moved on to another venture. Thomas Milnes, is now working on OpenWater Power, a brand that will develop a nontoxic fuel cell for underwater vehicles. This form of power will be able to outlive the lifespan of normal lithium-ion batteries. 

Story via Phys.org