Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Low-cost scanners
After the low cost revolution in 3D printers represented by RepRap and Makerbot, a similar
development in 3D scanners followed. Makerbot launched its low cost scanner “Digitizer”
in 2013, which was followed by 3D systems' “Sense” the same year. In January 2014 3D
systems followed up by releasing “iSense”, a device that is attached to an iPad which turns
into a handheld scanner. The iSense technology was originally invented by a small tech
company called Occipital and launched in a kickstarter campaign under the name “Struc-
ture Sensor” in the fall of 2013. Other low-cost 3D scanners followed Digitizer and Sense,
brands like “Matterform”, “Fuel3d”, “Dimbody” and “Rubicon”, and as is usual with start-
ups, many of these projects were partly financed through Kickstarter or Indiegogo cam-
paigns.
Digitizer used a turntable where the object was placed and it could scan objects within an 8”
x 8” cylinder (20.32 cm height x 20.32 cm diameter). The Digitizer's launch price was 1400
$. The Sense was handheld and could scan objects up to a height and width of 10 feet (304.8
cm). The Sense's launch price was 400$.
Microsoft's Xbox Kinect was launched as a motion-controlled gaming device to take up the
fight with Nintendo's Wii. Eventually makers and hackers found out that it was also very
useful for 3D scanning. Startups and small tech-companies have built on the Kinect techno-
logy to make applications with 3D scanning abilities. The company behind the sensor tech-
nology in Kinect as well as 3D System's Sense and Occipital's “Structure Sensor” was an
Israeli company called Primesense. It was acquired by Apple in November 2013.
3D scanning applications are also available as smartphone apps. These applications use the
cell phone's camera to make a 3D capture of an object. Most of these applications do the
computation in the “cloud”.
Professional Industrial-grade 3D scanners are used in many ways, in most cases they are
used for other applications than 3D printing. Portable or stationary scanners might be used
for “Reversed Engineering” where a scan of a product or part is used for quality control
like measurement of dimensions. 3D scanners might also be used for documentation of cul-
tural artifacts and historical sites, construction, medical purposes, mining, forensic docu-
mentation, movie and gaming industry etc. Professional Scanners companies includes: Faro,
Ametek (Creaform), GOM, Artec, 3D Digital Corp, Konica Minolta etc.
