3D Construction Co. has released the newest version of their image based modeling program 3D BuilderPro. Image-based modeling is a new technology for building 3D models directly from digital camera images and scanned photographs. This was the hottest topic at the SIGGRAPH conference in Orlando this year, and 3D Construction Co. was the only company present shipping products based on this technology.
Building 3D models with image based modeling is simple and fast; you walk around the object and take a series of pictures, then load them into the program and identify object features in the images. 3D Builder Pro does the rest, including automatically texture mapping the model from the images. Models may be exported in a number of 3D file formats, including 3D Studio, AutoCAD DXF, IGES, stereo lithography, raw triangles, VRML, and Wavefront. It is even possible to build 3D models from a single photograph if the object contains natural cues, such as corners of buildings.
This technology is a must for objects that cannot be measured directly. The primary values of image-based modeling are reduced modeling time and elimination of the need to take measurements. An important (and often overlooked) secondary value is that it eliminates the intimidation of the “blank screen” when starting out using traditional 3D modeling tools. Sketching on top of the image with a variety of drawing tools, such as points, lines, faces, curves, extrusions, and/or circles in 3D Builder Pro software, gives the modeler a great start on good looking and accurate geometry. Add the photorealistic texturing capabilities of the software and the modeler is “home-free”.
3D Construction Co., located in Elizabethton, TN, is the largest developer of image based modeling software in the United States. 3D Builder Pro is currently shipping Version 3.0 of its image based 3D modeler for $695. Running on Wins NT, Wins 95 and 98, the program is fully Year 2000 compliant.
