A new project by PROFACTOR GmbH attempts to vastly simplify 3D scanning. ReconstructMe is software that uses a Microsoft Kinect 3D sensor to capture highly detailed 3D models of nearby objects. But wait, you say, that’s been done before. Well, kinda. All of the Kinect 3D capture software we’ve seen so far simply takes “still” face-on 3D images. In other words, if you were to scan your face with these other systems you’d see only the front of your face, while the back of your head would remain as mysterious as the far side of the moon.
ReconstructMe takes this approach much, much farther by allowing the scanner to move around the object – all the while keeping track of the position of each 3D point, gradually building up a complete, 360 degree 3D model. In other words, the sensor can move around and capture the back of your head!
The software is not yet released and in fact they’re soon launching a beta version to ferret out the bugs. You can sign up for the beta at their site – but be warned they’re seeking individuals with a lot of spare time to test and who have hefty machines to run their software. This gives us a glimpse into the future requirements for running ReconstructMe, by the way. The software is highly likely not going to be open sourced, according to PROFACTOR.
Please watch the video on their site, which demonstrates quickly capturing the shape of an office chair in only two minutes. We’ve inspected to 20Mb STL model from this scan and must admit it’s extraordinarily detailed, right down to what appears to be wear dimples on the seatback.
We can’t wait to see this software in the wild.
Via ReconstructMe and YouTube
