Posted on January 22nd, 2007 by eliseo.
Categories: 3 d.
The miniature range camera SwissRanger SR-3000 is an optical imaging system, which offers high-resolution 3D image data in real time. It is a non-contact, compact and easy-to-use range camera that can be used to monitor hazardous areas in buildings, vehicles or on machines. The SR-3000 is based on the time-of-flight (TOF) principle and works with a modulated infrared light source. The emitted light pulses are reflected by the objects in the scene and travel back to the camera, where their precise time of arrival is measured locally in each “smart” pixel of a custom image sensor. In contrast to conventional cameras, the SR-3000 range camera thus not only determines the local brightness in the scene, but also the complete distance map, i.e. the 3D model of its environment. The miniature range camera SR-3000 belongs to a line of new 3D-imaging products. CSEM SA as renowned leader in optical timeof-flight range imaging offers also a wide range of solutions for the development of dedicated imaging products optimized to the very specific needs of its customers.
Posted on September 6th, 2006 by eliseo.
Categories: 3 d.
Transforming 2D pictures into 3D scenes
has long been thought impossible, but lo and behold, researchers at
Carnegie Mellon University have changed all that. They recently
developed a new method that allows a computer to learn the geometric
context of a 2D image, letting it automatically re-create it into 3D.
Here’s a little demo of what the technology can do.
Please, click here if you wish a good experience
Posted on August 28th, 2006 by eliseo.
Categories: 3 d.
Famous for designing and manufacturing luxury
cars, Bentley Motors has purchased RenderDrive hardware for use in its
styling studio. Bentley realised the potential for using ARTVPS’
photorealistic visualisation technology to help develop and promote its
brand after seeing promotional images produced
by Saddington and Baynes, a leading digital post-production studio.
The
images featured a computer generated Bentley Continental GT produced
using ARTVPS ray tracing technology and Bentley’s original engineering
data.
As the only 3D rendering
hardware technology of its type, ARTVPS RenderDrive provides a
dedicated and powerful platform that will enable Bentley to create
photorealistic images of design ideas and concepts throughout the
styling process.
Luis
Santos, project design manager
at Bentley said, ‘Producing photographic quality images from 3D data is
a powerful design tool that is equally important in design and styling
departments as in marketing and sales’.
‘To
enable us to continue developing cars true to the Bentley
marque, it is important for us to recognise technologies that will take
us to new levels of design capability.’ Brian Tyler, CEO at ARTVPS,
said, ‘We are very pleased that the Bentley Motors styling team will be
using RenderDrive as part of their toolkit
to visualise design ideas’.
‘Using high dynamic range (HDR)
images, original 3D data and ray tracing technology, to locate virtual
car designs in real world locations adds, a new level of realism to the
design process and beyond’.
‘We hope
this is the start of a long term relationship with ARTVPS and our ray
tracing technology’ Designed to maximise ray tracing performance,
RenderDrive offers a powerful, flexible and reliable rendering
environment that can be used independently or operated
as a dedicated render farm.
Thanks to the TCP/IP Fast Ethernet
network interface, the hardware can be accessed by multiple users
within the enterprise to offer maximum resource utilisation.
RenderDrive 64-bit technology can address 3D model
sizes of 30-million polygons or more and so easily handles automotive engineering data.
Final
images can be generated with resolutions up to 16,000 pixels, suitable
for a variety of display devices or printing options.
Posted on August 24th, 2006 by eliseo.
Categories: 3 d.
2006-06-27 — WARREN, Mich. - General Motors is the first automotive
manufacturer utilizing 3D technology to build state-of-the-art
facilities. GM has always been an industry leader for its use of 3D
math modeling to design world-class vehicles. Now, the company has
taken this technology a step further. GM facility engineers can strap
on special 3D goggles, step into a virtual cave, and see how a plant
looks before the first piece of steel is put in place. Results: GM’s
fastest assembly complex ever built, Lansing Delta Township, which was
constructed 20% faster than the five-year-old Lansing Grand River
facility; and a 442,000 square feet expansion of Flint Engine South,
constructed 27% faster than target.”GM operates more than 170 plants in 34 countries,” said Jim Wiemels,
Vice President and General Manager GM Manufacturing Engineering. “By
integrating this type of technology into our design build, we are
continuously improving, changing the construction industry and leading
in lean construction.”
Much like virtual reality games, GM
engineers, architects and contractors can enter another world, one
which only exists on the hard drive of a supercomputer, and collaborate
on best practices. Until recently, all facility designs were limited to
the traditional 2D world, where engineers had to hope that lines
intersecting on a page did not actually intersect in real life. Imagine
the problem of learning that a HVAC system intersected a water line and
all the time and money needed to fix that problem in the field. This
new virtual world helps compress design and build time and allows GM to
be more flexible in adjusting to the ever-changing vehicle market.
“Designing
in 3D allows suppliers to fabricate their building sub-systems in a
controlled environment, which leads to better work quality and less
rework, clutter and scrap on the job site,” said Dave Skiven, Executive
Director of Worldwide Facilities Group. “Simply put, this technology
adds quality and safety while subtracting time and money.”
GM
partnered with GHAFARI, Alberici Group, The Ideal Group, Inc. and Dee
Cramer, Inc. in achieving this math-based vision. GHAFARI was the main
architectural firm on both projects and led deployment of the 3D
Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology. Ideal was the main
contractor for the Flint Engine South facility; and Alberici was the
main contractor for Lansing Delta Township’s Body Shop, General
Assembly and Central Administration. The lead contractor for the
Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning system (HVAC) was Dee Cramer,
Inc. The numbers alone reflect the scope of this complex project and
the coordination needed to make the dream a reality. Lansing Delta
Township took almost 1.2 million construction hours to build; and used
over 100,000 yards of concrete, 14,000 tons of structural steel, and
200 miles of wire during construction.
Posted on August 16th, 2006 by eliseo.
Categories: 3 d.
When I was just a wee-geek-boy, I remember watching a show called Beyond 2000
and in a particular episode, they covered a new technology called 3d
printing which uses lasers to carve and melt polymer together. At the
time, it was just small projects - little objects that could help
designers better envision and test their creations. This opened the
doors to rapid prototyping.
Fast forward almost 20 years and it seems the technology has
advanced far enough to print not only the object, but the mechanics
inside as well.
One of the first to fruition from this technology is of course,
funded by the military. It’s called the Polecat UAV (unmanned aerial
vehicle), designed to test cheaper and faster manufacturing
technologies. Since most of its parts are laser printed, there is less
room for manufacturing errors as computers are far more accurate and
consistent.
If the project proves successful, we could see the technology
trickle down to consumer levels. 3D laser printing could be the bridge
between current manufacturing methodologies and the often romanticized
nano technology.
