Stuetzle 9402734 The goal of this project is to develop methods that will enable rapid, automatic, and inexpensive "3D scanning"; that is, the use of optical scanning technology to create electronic models from physical objects such as a clay model of a car, or a turbine blade. 3D scanning is at present an important technology, used in a number of critical US industries, such as automobile and aerospace production. However, the expense of current scanner hardware and the need for extensive human intervention has prevented 3D scanning from achieving its full potential. The methods developed by our interdisciplinary research team will make 3D scanning far less expensive, faster, and more automatic. The goal of 3D scanning is the inverse of computer aided manufacturing: given a physical object, such as a clay model of a car, a turbine blade, a chair, or a house, create an electronic model that captures its shape and color. 3D scanning is at present an important technology in a number of critical US industries, such as aerospace and automotive production. However, the expense of current scanner hardware and the need for extensive human intervention in both data collection and modeling has prevented 3D scanning from achieving its full potential. This grant will result in new algorithms and software that will enable new scanner systems that are faster, more automatic, smaller, less expensive, model other visual properties in addition to shape, and produce higher quality and more usable output.
