A scan from a Google Project Tango tablet

Share images from your recent projects here.
Post Reply
jochenstier
I have made 20-30 posts
I have made 20-30 posts
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2016 5:37 pm
7
Full Name: Jochen Stier
Company Details: Geist Software Labs
Company Position Title: Founder
Country: Canada
Skype Name: jochen.stier
Linkedin Profile: Yes
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Contact:

A scan from a Google Project Tango tablet

Post by jochenstier »

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.
Untitled.png
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.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by jochenstier on Tue Jan 24, 2017 1:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
3DForensics
Honorary Member
Honorary Member
Posts: 1979
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2009 1:52 am
14
Full Name: Eugene Liscio
Company Details: AI2-3D Forensics
Company Position Title: Owner
Skype Name: eliscio
Location: Toronto, Canada
Has thanked: 13 times
Been thanked: 70 times
Contact:

Re: A scan from a Google Project Tango tablet

Post by 3DForensics »

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
jochenstier
I have made 20-30 posts
I have made 20-30 posts
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Nov 02, 2016 5:37 pm
7
Full Name: Jochen Stier
Company Details: Geist Software Labs
Company Position Title: Founder
Country: Canada
Skype Name: jochen.stier
Linkedin Profile: Yes
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Contact:

Re: A scan from a Google Project Tango tablet

Post by jochenstier »

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.
Post Reply

Return to “Image Gallery”