Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Kinect vs. Asus Xtion
As soon as the community cracked open the Kinect and made it do things it
wasn't intended to do, 3D scanning was one of the first items on the list. As
wonderful and disruptive as the Kinect was, it wasn't the only device of its
kind. In fact, other folks brought the exact same technology to market. Scan-
ning with the Kinect is powered by hardware developed by an Israeli company,
PrimeSense. PrimeSense released a software development kit (SDK) called
OpenNI (Open Natural Interaction) that some people, such as the folks be-
hind ReconstructMe (PROFACTOR GmbH), have used to develop awesome
software tools for Kinect. And the great thing about this is that their software
can be made to work with other hardware that uses the PrimeSense tech-
nology.
One such piece of hardware is the ASUS Xtion ($160), which has some ad-
vantages over the Kinect:
1. It is much smaller (about half the size)
2. It's lighter (half a pound)
3. It doesn't require a separate power supply (it can be powered over the
USB connection).
The Xtion has some disadvantages, though:
1. More expensive
2. Does not work with all software written for Kinect
3. Doesn't have a software-controlled motor (the Kinect has one you can
use for moving the camera around
Still, if you're looking for a portable depth camera for 3D scanning, the Xtion
is well worth considering.
123D Catch
123D Catch is a free application from Autodesk that enables you to take pho-
tos and turn them into 3D models. It is available as a web-based application,
an app for the iPad and the iPhone, and as a desktop application for Windows.
It works by taking multiple digital photos that have been shot around a sta-
tionary object and then submitting those photos to a cloud-based server for
processing. The cloud server uses its superior processing power to stitch
together your photos into a 3D model and then sends the model back to you
for editing. You can download or access 123D Catch at
http://www.
