On the chance of being slightly off topic I would like to present the laser scanning community with a short example of scanning technology that is soon to appear in consumer smartphones. The following scan has been collected using the Google Project Tango tablet which is equipped with a depth sensor and various optical cameras, most notably a fish eye lens used to perform real-time localization via control points in the environment. A scan is created by simply moving the devices around an environment.
The following link lets you examine this scan interactively on Voxxlr.com:
http://www.voxxlr.com/share/hxMukpcQWuZ ... HjB5%2BduG
There are a few hundred hundred more scans on the site (http://www.voxxlr.com and follow "Latest Scans") that have been collected using the same device.
While there is still notable drift and the resolution/range is still below that of most laser scanners, the technology is advancing fast. Lenovo in now releasing the first consumer device called the Phab2 Pro which contains the Tango technology.
I hope this is of interest.
A scan from a Google Project Tango tablet
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A scan from a Google Project Tango tablet
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Re: A scan from a Google Project Tango tablet
The data looks reasonable for some applications but I wonder about the versatility in different environments. It seems that nobody has been able to offer a robust solution for indoor and outdoor applications.
Another consumer product is a lot of fun but I wonder if the technology is far better than the Xtion or Kinect.
Eugene
Another consumer product is a lot of fun but I wonder if the technology is far better than the Xtion or Kinect.
Eugene
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Re: A scan from a Google Project Tango tablet
The Project Tango Tablet actually uses the same structured light technology as the Xtrion and Kinect, so the quality is almost exactly the same. As far as I know, the next generation (Phab2 Pro) will have a time of flight sensor. While it will likely consume less power, it is hard for me to to believe that it will have better resolution. I will hopeful get my device in 4 weeks and once the App runs on it I will post an update.
I don't know much about actual task of laser scanning, but as far as I understand the scanners sit on a tripods for the most part. So, a cluttered area will cast a lot of "shadows" in the scan. The Tango Tablet performs SLAM in real time, so you can easily scan behind an object or in tight areas that the static laser scanner cannot easily reach.
It is likely though that the technology will find more applications in augmented reality and gaming rather than 3D scanning, but there is a few scanning Apps in the making including the Voxxlr App.
I don't know much about actual task of laser scanning, but as far as I understand the scanners sit on a tripods for the most part. So, a cluttered area will cast a lot of "shadows" in the scan. The Tango Tablet performs SLAM in real time, so you can easily scan behind an object or in tight areas that the static laser scanner cannot easily reach.
It is likely though that the technology will find more applications in augmented reality and gaming rather than 3D scanning, but there is a few scanning Apps in the making including the Voxxlr App.