Close Up on Technology: Part Inspection 3D Part Inspection Is a Snapshot Away

Link to article:

http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ptonline.com/mag_images/200607cu2c.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.ptonline.com/articles/200607cu2.html&usg=__tG02cd9dsGU-BD-TtgA7IWwdPcs=&h=430&w=200&sz=13&hl=en&start=18&um=1&tbnid=8enR4X-3RTEbjM:&tbnh=126&tbnw=59&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dphotomodeler%2Barchitecture%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1

Article:

Close Up on Technology: Part Inspection 3D Part Inspection Is a Snapshot Away
By Joseph A. Grande, Senior Editor
Learn More Visit the Auxiliary Equipment Zone Company Info Bayer MaterialScience LLC, Pittsburgh (800) 662-2927 Eos Systems Inc., Vancouver, B.C. (604) 732-6658 A non-contact inspection system uses digital photography for accurate three-dimensional measurement of plastic parts. Developed by Eos Systems, this method is being employed in application development by plastics companies like Bayer MaterialScience. A major advantage of the PhotoModeler system is affordability—it costs only $895 per license—considerably less than coordinate-measuring machines and non-contact laser digitizers. With Photo­Modeler, application development specialists at Bayer can detect sub-millimeter dimensional flaws in complex plastic automotive components without expensive CMM or laser scanning instrumentation. Detecting deformation PhotoModeler software from Eos is based on the science of photogrammetry, an established measuring technique using photographs, which is mostly used for aerial mapping and analysis. Eos adapted the technology for close-range applications and has found uses in accident reconstruction, architecture, and industrial applications. In plastics manufacturing, PhotoModeler reportedly can be an effective tool for detecting deformation in thin-wall, complex parts. The system is particularly useful for curved or contoured surfaces where 3D measurements are difficult to achieve with traditional inspection tools. How PhotoModeler Works Top: PhotoModeler software automates the method of photogrammetry, which calculates distances from photographs. First, one or more digital cameras take 2D photos of a 3D part from different angles. Center: PhotoModeler calculates the exact position of the camera relative to the part. Bottom: From multiple images, Photo­Modeler builds a 3D CAD model of the part with exact physical dimensions. Once the digital camera is calibrated by the PhotoModeler software, the user takes multiple photos of the part. Using automated target acquisition, the software can output a 3D CAD model of the part. In this task, the software can use various reference points such as corners or edges or targets (high-contrast circles) that are specified by the user. At Bayer, the measurement system is used both in the U.S. and in Germany to help develop new resins for applications such as injection molded automotive body panels. The company must quantify the extent of distortion in the panel that results from a range of weathering conditions. Benefits vs. contact methods Finding a suitable method to measure dimensional flaws in a 1-meter-long door panel was difficult, according to Ignacio Osio, principal engineer and manager of Bayer’s application engineering lab. A typical coordinate measuring machine (CMM) utilizes touch sensors that meticulously tap and record each point along a surface. According to Osio, it would be hard to find a CMM large enough to handle a 1-meter part, and painstakingly time-consuming to calibrate the CMM to measure all the curved surfaces. Moreover, there is the potential for physical contact with the part to skew the inspection results. Large CMMs are expensive too, costing up to $250,000. Bayer used PhotoModeler to measure distortion of curvature in a 1-meter-long body panel. Linear methods, too, have limitations in measuring curvatures and the same applies to electronic rulers, which would require many square measurements to accurately capture slight distortions of the curves. To evaluate shrinkage and warpage, Bayer researchers subjected parts to a range of humidity and temperature conditions. The sample parts were photographed from multiple vantage points after exposure. After uploading the digital images into PhotoModeler, certain reference points from each view are matched and the data are converted into a 3D framework. “This part has some amount of sagging that is difficult to detect with a measuring device that is not three-dimensional,” said Osio. “We were even able to pick up some other distortion that is not easy to measure through other means.” On the 1-meter body panel, Bayer was able to measure changes within 0.1 mm, which is the company’s requirement for inspection. According to Eos, PhotoModeler is capable of even greater detail by increasing the number of photographs and the number of matching control points. Bayer also uses Eos’ add-on automation module called Coded Targets ($395). This system recognizes the target and further automates the process. Thoughts: Photomodeler gives accurate measurements without contact. This could be helpful if the item being photographed is too small to accurately measure by hand, or too delicate to touch. If trying to take measurements of an object that is hard to get to this software could also be useful. This article talks mainly about the use of Photomodeler in the car manufacturing industry but one could assume that this technology could be applied to any manufacturing industry. Catia a 3d scanning program used and developed by Frank Gehry originated in the aerospace industry and was also used in several other manufacturing industries including automobile and naval. The diagrams showing how photomodeler work are simple and helpful, much more useful than anything on their home page. A potential problem when applying this software to an architectural level is the inability get photos of the entire building due to their scale and other buildings,vehicles and vegetation in the way. This article discusses the use of Photomodeler to detect warpage and shrinkage in products. This process could possible be applied to architecture detecting structural deflection in completed buildings.

Photomodeler potential

Link to Article:

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Image:

Thoughts:

It would be interesting to know how much it would cost a firm to purchase licenses and train staff to competently use this software? How long would it take before firms could save/make money by using this software? I wonder if any firms in Perth currently use this software? PhotoModeler shows great potential but is not well known. This is probably because it is a relatively new technology that is still having the kinks ironed out of it. Perhaps if students start learning about new technologies such as this at uni they can take the knowledge into the working world. When they graduate they can teach older architects of the possibilities of technology. This suggest that there will be a time delay before this technology has any affect on the architectural world.

This image show the potential of Photomodeler for creating 3d models of existing buildings. This project uses the software as a surveying tool. This sought of use of the software could be useful when renovating or building additions to existing buildings. It could possibly save heaps of time normally spent measuring the existing building. Photomodeler could also be used to create 3d images of historical buildings which need to be well documented.

Other 3d photogrammetry software available

Link to article: http://www.imagemaster3d.com/

Article:

Imagemaster builds on the proven capability of Topcon's acclaimed PI-3000 photogrammetry software that allows accurate 3D modeling from stereo photographic images taken with a standard digital camera. The process is used to generate accurate line models, 3D surface models (TINs), Ortho-images and point clouds - the latter at a fraction of the cost of a laser scanner.

Imagemaster now combines the Image Surveying (IS) robotic total stations with built in cameras to create a package that delivers the advantages of Photogrammetry, laser scanning and total station survey into one powerful package. Now you can augment your 3d data with imagery to easily describe the site in both visual and geometric quantities. Open up your information to everyone communicating with real life photographic imagery.

Thougths:

Appears to be similar software to PhotoModeler. Reinforces the idea that 3d photogrammetry software is a cheaper option than a laser scanner. What does it cost? I could not get a free version of this software to work on my computer. It would be intersting to see how different form PhotoModeler it is. I have been having a lot of problems getting PhotoModler to work on more complex images. I wonder if this software is any more user friendly?

Cost of Photomodeler

Link to article: http://www.photomodeler.com/products/default.htm

Article:

	PhotoModeler	PhotoModeler Automation	PhotoModeler Scanner
Create CAD-like models	Yes	Yes	Yes
Perform accurate measurements	Yes	Yes	Yes
Model man-made shapes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Print and use Coded Targets		Yes	Yes
Automate Projects		Yes	Yes
Create dense surface models			Yes
Model organic and natural shapes			Yes

PhotoModeler is the base product. PhotoModeler Automation adds coded targets and project automation. PhotoModeler Scanner contains all the capabilities of PhotoModeler and PhotoModeler Automation, and adds scanning and dense surface modeling (along with the Idealize module as well). If you have projects that fall in all columns of the table then PhotoModeler Scanner is your best choice.

PhotoModeler		PhotoModeler Automation		PhotoModeler Scanner
My application is: architectural structure accident scene diagrams crush measurement piping and process plants archaeology perspective / background plate matching		My application is: rapid turn-around measurement targets applied to surfaces industrial high-accuracy 3D point measurement crush measurement piping and process plants dynamic tracked objects (with PMV module)		My application is: architectural surface scans quarries / mining stock pile profiles and volumes cliff / rock faces human body / back / face / feet scans non-contact curatorial scans boot & foot prints
USA & Canada Price:¹ $995us		USA & Canada Price:¹ $1295us		USA & Canada Price:¹ $2695us
Learn more ...		Learn more ...		Learn more ...
PhotoModeler		PhotoModeler Automation²		PhotoModeler Scanner²

¹ These prices are for North American customers ordering directly. Overseas resellers sell for a different amount to account for shipping costs, duties, taxes, and local support.
² PhotoModeler Automation is a bundle composed of the PhotoModeler base product and the Coded Target Add-on Module. PhotoModeler Scanner is a distinct product.

Other Products
Add-on modules, camera bundles and accessories (such as slides and evidence markers) are described on the Other Products page.

Thoughts:

$995 - $2695 American dollars, is a fairly affordable price for a company to pay. In comparison Cad licenses cost upwards of $10 000. I would however think that Cad programs would be more helpful to a firm than software such as this. This software is interesting and could be used in the architectural world but it is not necessary, Cad programs are. Very few students are learning to hand draw now days as it is simply outdated. Firms who choose not to use Cad programs will find it very hard to find staff and this is only going to get harder. By the looks of the images on this page complex models are possible. I wonder how much training/practice is required to produce models like that.

photomodeler

Link to home page: http://www.photomodeler.com/index.htm

Quote:

"Accurate and Affordable
3D Modeling-Measuring-Scanning
PhotoModeler photogrammetry software provides image-based modeling, for accurate measurement and 3D models in engineering, architecture, film, forensics, and more! The most cost-effective and affordable way to do accurate 3D scanning, measurement and surveying. Try the download, watch a product tour or pick your application area below."

Thoughts:
Accurate and affordable compared to what? What other software is available? What is the cost of 3d scanning equipment? How easy/ convenient is this software to use? Can complex structures be modeled?

Photosynth - compititon

Link to Article: http://blogs.msdn.com/photosynth/


Article:

Picture the ImpossiblePosted Tuesday, September 22, 2009 11:23 AM by synthy
Less than two weeks ago, an alternate reality game created by the Rochester Institute of Technology and the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle newspaper called " Picture the Impossible" began. Intended to engage members of the community in an exploration of Rochester, different games and activities were designed for the competition.

One of the challenges in the game was to create the best Photosynth of one of the 'Horses on Parade' sculptures in Rochester, NY. The competition is done and the results are in! They had nearly 150 entries in total.

I want to take the opportunity to thank and congratulate the participants and winners of the "Picture the Impossible Photosynth Horses' challenge.

Thanks to Bing for sponsoring the technical development for the games, and Elizabeth Lawley for promoting the use of Photosynth within them.

-Jonathan

Thoughts:

The synths created for this compition are based around 3d objects rather than panaramic views. The result is not a 3d model you can rotate arund but rater a series of still images taken around the object. The synth does provide views of the horses from all angles but a storey bord of the photos would give a similar effect. A storey bord would also be more time and cost efficient to create. "The best thing to happen to photography since the digital camera." — slate.com ??? definately not.

Photosynth - Trial 1

I used the following photos to create my first photosynth.

The result.

Link to the result: http://photosynth.net/d3d/photosynth.aspx?cid=82489a64-f592-4b45-98e9-0380f975c3ff

Thoughts:

Results are similar to those of auto stitch. It matches pixel colours and patterns to stitch together photo's to create a curved panaramic view so it gives the allusion three dimensionality. I t does not as i first thought create 3d digital models of existing objects. It could still be helpful during the site analysis process or used for backgrounds of rendered views of 3d models. The ability to store and share these images online is this softwares greatest strenght. Synths could be created of existing buildings, proposed sites etc... and shared with other architectural firms who don't have physical access to the site. The software is very easy to use and syths can quickly be created. The biggest weekness of the software is the inability to export the resulting images for use in other programs. The ability to import the completed synths into programs such as Photoshop, Indesign and Powerpoint could make Photosynth a very powerful presentation tool.

What is Silverlight?

Link to Article: http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/overview/default.aspx

Article:

What Is Silverlight?
Silverlight is a cross-browser, cross-platform and cross-device browser plug-in that helps companies design, develop and deliver applications and experiences on the Web. A free download that installs in seconds, Silverlight enables a new class of rich, secure and scalable cross-platform experiences.

Highlighted Features in Silverlight 3
Smooth Streaming
Out of Browser
Sketchflow
Pixel Shader Effects
Rich Internet Applications

Silverlight delivers the best of both worlds. By leveraging the .Net framework, our tools help you create visually rich experiences while providing backend support for rapid development.

Media

Deliver higher quality video with Silverlight. The higher the video quality, the longer people stay engaged. When people watch your media longer, you make more money.
AddOnloadScript('zBox_CreateBox("smooth-streaming");');
AddOnloadScript('zBox_CreateBox("pixel-shader-effects");');
AddOnloadScript('zBox_CreateBox("sketchflow");');
AddOnloadScript('zBox_CreateBox("out-of-browser");');
function zBox_GetBoxEx(s) {
if (typeof zBox_GetBox == 'function') {
zBox_GetBox(s).Show();

Thougths:

This software was necessary to download before installing Photosynth. It was relatively easy to download. Anybody who wishes to view your synths will have to download this software. This could prove problematic if trying to view from a public computer.

Photosynth

Link to site: http://photosynth.net/Default.aspx


QUOTE

"The best thing to happen to photography since the digital camera." — slate.com

Thoughts

hmmm big call.... software for editing digital photo's is very advanced, there are many many programs designed to assist people to view, share, edit, print and recreate photo's. I do not believe that this program could possibly be the best. It is a good marketing ploy though.

Microsoft Live Labs - Social Streams

Link to Article: http://livelabs.com/social-streams/

Article:

Social Streams is a Live Labs project whose mission is to aggregate, store and mine all social media content. The Social Streams Platform has been used to support a number of applications and research efforts, and to date we have made one of these applications – Political Streams – available to the public.

Political Streams was released for a limited period of time around the 2008 US Presidential Election. The goal was to provide, at a glance, the stories (both in the news and social media) which were attracting the most attention. In addition, using text mining technologies and structured data, the application surfaced the people and places associated with those stories.

Political Streams made the cut for a number of lists tracking the best sites for understanding the election including LifeHacker’s Top 10 Web Tools for Election Season and The Industry Standard’s Top 20 Election Day Web Sites.

Microsoft Research’s BLEWS project is another example of an application built on the platform. This project not only looked at political stories in the blogosphere, but also analyzed the number of links to those stories from known liberal or conservative weblogs and showed a graphical representation of those links.

Thoughts:

This application is similar to a search engine, it gathers sorts and collates all relative information on a given topic. This could prove very useful for research collating all possible references in one place. How does this technology work? How is the information organised for easy consumption? Does it work like the book search at your local library searching for key words, subjects etc. How does it deal with inaccurate information or repetitive information. Has potential for use in the architectural world. There is a very large amount of architecturtal data online and it would be helpful to have an easier way to serch through the mountain of information to find what you are looking for.

Microsoft Live Labs - Web Sandbox

Article link: http://livelabs.com/web-sandbox/

Article:

Modern Web pages are made up of pieces that may be served from different locations—maps, visit counters, affiliate programs that run scripts on your page, gadgets built by outside developers, and more. But what happens when items you’re including hamper the experience, either on purpose or by mistake? IFrames isolate your site’s personal information without protecting users or their machines, which remain vulnerable in face of increasingly sophisticated exploits.

The Web Sandbox addresses this problem through virtualization. We provide an opportunity to test the Sandbox and find out whether it prevents the attacks you’re concerned about. It's designed to improve the security, isolation and quality of service for your site and your users. The goal is to get to an open and interoperable standard in this space, creating a robust and long term solution.

You can help by trying to hack the code to find scenarios or exploits we haven’t thought of yet. The more you try to break it, the stronger it will get. Our goal is to involve the community and release a set of open source components that can be improved upon as time goes by. Try it now.

Thoughts:

This software aims to increase the speed and security of Internet browsing by identifying irrelevant possible harmful components of a web page and blocking them. Does this stop adds/ pop ups and irrelevant links from appearing? How will this affect applications such as facebook who rely on adds for financial funding? Like anti virus software this technology would have to be constantly updated. Potentially useful in the architectural world in the sense that any increase in in research time online will result in an increase of productivity and as a result an increase in profits.

Microsoft Live Labs - Seadragon

Link to Article: http://livelabs.com/seadragon/

Article:

The aim of Seadragon is nothing less than to change the way we use screens, from wall-sized displays all the way down to cell phones, so that graphics and photos are smoothly browsed, regardless of the amount of data or the bandwidth of the network.

Consider the following four "promises" of Seadragon:

1. Speed of navigation is independent of the size or number of objects.
2. Performance depends only on the ratio of bandwidth to pixels on the screen.
3. Transitions are smooth as butter.
4. Scaling is near perfect and rapid for screens of any resolution.

How can you use Seadragon?

You can get Seadragon Deep Zoom functionality by using Photosynth, which not only allows you to get super-close-ups of your pictures but also stitches them together into a 3-D space. You can use Seadragon Ajax and embed a simple viewer into your own web sites or blog posts. Or, you can also download the Deep Zoom Composer to embed a viewer into your own web site or blog post.

For Developers

Developers can leverage Deep Zoom functionality by using the Silverlight platform. They can also take advantage of the Seadragon Ajax Library to customize viewers and controls.

Thoughts:

This technology is about providing faster Internet browsing regardless of the size, resolution or number of images being displayed. This article doesn't explain how the technology works. Is this technology available to the general public? How expensive is it? This technology is relevant to architectural offices as it has the potential to decrease time spent online researching site contextuality.

Microsoft Live Labs - Thumbtack

Link to Article: http://livelabs.com/thumbtack/

Article:

Thumbtack is an easy way to save links, photos, and anything else you can find on bunch of different Web sites to a single place. Grab the stuff you want, put it into a Thumbtack collection, then get to it from anywhere you can get online. Share it with your friends, or just keep it for yourself. It’s way easier than sending a bunch of links in an e-mail, and even easier than setting lots of favorites in your browser.

Let’s say you’re trying to find an apartment and your roommate isn’t sitting next to you. You could send a lot of links in an e-mail, and even attach some photos. But that’s not going to show her everything at once—she’d have to click each link and go back and forth among the windows. Instead, you could save every apartment to a single Thumbtack collection— pictures, prices and your own comments about what you like about each one—and then send a single URL to her. She opens your collection and bam, all the information she needs is right in front of her, all in one place.

The Bookmarklet makes it even easier to add to your collections--you can do it with just a click. Plus Thumbtack has gadgets, like the address gadget that will automatically find the address of items in your collection and show you a map of exactly where that place is.

Use it to: plan your party, buy a house, car, prom dress, party shoes or anything else you’d want somebody else’s opinion about; plan a wedding, family reunion or debutante ball; research jobs or places to live, or anytime you need to collect a lot of disparate information from different sites and keep it all in one place.

Thoughts:
It is similar to a hard drive. It provides the user with online space to save files/photos etc. which can be accessed from anywhere. It has the potential to make cd's, usb drives and portable hard drives obsolete. It could also allow people to share files without the use of emails. This means that file size is no longer an issue when sharing information. High res images, detailed 3d models and large pdf files can all be easily shared. Architects could use this technology to when working on collaborative projects with other companies, when someone is working out of the office or even over seas. This technology has the capacity to make the 'office as we know it obsolete, allowing unlimited amounts of data around the world at the touch of a botton.

Potential problems: What happens if the system crashes? Is the information backed up? How are privacy issues dealt with? How do you stop people from viewing your work/personal information/photos.

Photosynth: Projects

Link to Article: http://livelabs.com/projects/


Article:

Projects

Thumbtack

A single place to save or share the stuff you want from all around the web.

It's easier than sending a bunch of links in an e-mail, or setting several favorites in your browser. Thumbtack simplifies the process of saving and sharing photos, links, text and more.

Seadragon

Smooth, seamless browsing of vast quantities of visual information, on wall sized displays or mobile devices, regardless of the amount of data.

Web Sandbox

Secure dynamic web applications through virtualization.

Modern Web pages are made up of different pieces that may be served from different locations--maps, mashups, ads and more. But what happens if some of those pieces slow page performance or even endanger users' personal information? That's where the Web Sandbox comes in.

Photosynth

Automatically reconstruct a three-dimensional space from a collection of photos of a place or an object.

Whether sharing or reliving a vacation destination or exploring a distant museum or landmark, Photosynth transforms regular digital photos into a three-dimensional, 360-degree experience with a digital camera and your own creativity and inspiration.

Social Streams

Social Streams is a Live Labs project whose mission is to aggregate, store and mine all socal media content.

Entity Extraction

Using machine learning to identify meaningful text in documents, we can turn the unstructured web into a rich set of tagged documents.

Restaurant reviews... Business addresses... People's Names... Phone numbers... Product descriptions...

The web is overflowing with descriptive information, but most content is not yet linked with outside applications. Highlight a restaurant address on any website, get a popup map. Or a book title in a blog post for reviews and prices from around the web. Add names and phone numbers from any email or webpage to your contacts with one click. It's all coming, and Entity Extraction is the enabling technology.

Thoughts:

*Thumbtack - sounds like a hard/drive storage space online allowing people to share files without having to email them. It sounds similar 'The student swap drive' at uni.

*Seadragon - sounds like a fast internet browser, what makes it special/different?

* Web Sandbox - seems to increase internet browsing speeds and protect users, how?

*Photo synth - creates 3d digital images from photo's. Sounds Similar to PhotoModuler. How many photo's are needed to recreate a scene? How acurate do these images have to be? How is the process affected by resolution, perspective distortion camera specifications? Is it easy to use/learn?

*Social Streams - Sounds like some sought of search engine similar to Google??? What is meant by social media content? Who uses it and for what purpose?

* Entity Extraction - Seems to be a program that links all information available on the internet to any other relative information. Could be useful for research, save time seasrching as every relative piece of information pops up. Potential problem - There is unlimited amounts of information on the internet and it is constantly growing. Clicking an a well documented subject would produce too much information, how do you structure it so it can be digested/used in a helpful way?

Photosynth: History

Link to article - http://livelabs.com/photosynth/history/

Article:

History - Photosynth is really two remarkable technical achievements in one product: a viewer for downloading and navigating these complex visual spaces and a "synther" for creating them in the first place. Together they make something that seems impossible quite possible: reconstructing the 3D world for sets of flat photographs. This kind of 1+1=5 scenario is what we live for at Live Labs. But how did they come together in the first place?

You see, it was love at first sight…

• In 2006 Microsoft acquired small, Seattle-area startup Seadragon, whose technology is capable of delivering a buttery smooth experience browsing massive quantities of visual information over the Internet. It is all the detail you want, exactly when you want it, with predictable performance regardless of the amount of data—from megapixels to gigapixels.
• The same year, from the groundbreaking research of Noah Snavely (UW), Steve Seitz (UW), and Richard Szeliski (Microsoft Research), a prototype called ‘photo tourism’ was born. The idea was simple: given a few dozen or few hundred photos of a place, is there enough information to reconstruct a 3D model of that place? The advanced computer vision techniques pioneered in pursuit of this goal form the basis of the synther.

Together these incredible tools are the foundation that makes Photosynth work. The synther requires large amounts of visual data to generate its 3D environments, and Seadragon technology makes it possible

Seeing the promise in the product, Microsoft Live Labs built a small startup team to incubate the Photosynth project. Collaborating with teams around Microsoft, including Virtual Earth, Microsoft Research, Windows Live, and others, they have been hard at work making Photosynth more than just a prototype, creating an experience that anyone can enjoy and where anyone can create something amazing...

First thoughts:

* Is it a technical achievement? What other software offers similar results? When were they invented? Which software is Superior?
* How accurately does it reconstruct 3d worlds from photographs?
* What/Who is Live Labs? What else have they produced?
* What/who is Seadragon? What else have they produced?
* When and how was Seadragon technology produced and how is it used?
* Who are Noah Snavely, Steve Seitz and Richard Szeliski? What role did they play? What else hace they achieved?
* Photo tourism - how was it recieved? How well did it work? Was it user friendly? How did it evolve?
* Is Photosynth user friendly?, Who uses it and for what purpose?

Photosynth: Microsoft Live labs

Link to site - http://livelabs.com/photosynth/

Article:

First there was the snapshot, and then came video. Now there is Photosynth, a new service available at photosynth.com that will change the way you experience and share photos.

You can share or relive a vacation destination or explore a distant museum or landmark. With nothing more than a digital camera and some inspiration, you can use Photosynth to transform regular digital photos into a three-dimensional, 360-degree experience. Anybody who sees your synth is put right in your shoes, sharing in your experience, with detail, clarity and scope impossible to achieve in conventional photos or videos.

Synths constitute an entirely new visual medium. Photosynth analyzes each photo for similarities to the others, and uses that data to build a model of where the photos were taken. It then re-creates the environment and uses that as a canvas on which to display the photos.

First thoughts:

* Sounds like a similar program to PhotoModuler

* Could be helpful for digitally documenting existing buildings with out extensive measuring

* Could be helpful in creating 3d digital models of physical models.

PhotoModeler

Software that creates 3D images from uploaded digital photos.


tutorial video


Process:

Upload photos
Choose points based or shape based project
Use software tools to trace different views of the object
Apply material, The software generates material from photos
Scale and rotate
Object can then be saved as dxf and used in other Cad/Cam/Cae programs