How to Turn 2D into 3D?
 

I know that it is possible to scan front, top and side pics and a rapid prototyping machine can 'build' a 3D model. Anyone know how I can get this done? What it is actually called and maybe where?

Jay Leno’s 3D Printer Makes Old Car Parts - NextEngine 3D scanner and Dimension 3D printer - Popular Mechanics

SCANNER


PRINTER

The printer is what I am interested in.

I came up with a cool product idea while watching a Christmas special with the kids. How about customized snow globes? Have your home in miniture model inside a snow globe? I think it would be a great gift idea. Scan in photos of the home and the device makes it, you piant it (or have someone from China paint it) put it in a snow globe, fill with water and 'snow' and bang!

Cool?

I suspect you are going to need some pretty detailed photos from all sides, including from the air to pull that off. Good luck!

That would be one spendy snow-globe. ...even if you had Chinese 12y/o girls s to paint them.


...8y/o Chinese girls are cheaper, but the quality may suffer.

There is, btw, software for doing the 2D - 3D. I've never used it (too crude) it would be perfect for that type of stuff. --I have a 3D digital scanner /probe for my work.

$50? $100? I can see these going for $75 easy - think of how special this would be for Grammy and Grampy?

The ideal way to make a very accurate model is aerial photography combined with LIDAR and ground photography to get the areas up under roof overhangs. Import all that into AutoCAD and then uses a CNC machine to make a billet aluminum model. If you stick with a used Cessna 206 you might be able to get it all for under 4 million. I don't think you will make the budget of $75.00 each however.

I just don't see how you can make a accurate model of a particular house without photographing and scanning the actual house.

Each one needs to be custom. That means each one needs both the shape and the paint handled . .which is dependent on the quality of information from each customer.

OTOH, much of that info is being assembled (MS virtual Earth, and such) so it won't be too long before the viability of the idea gets better.

3D truck nuts in a snow globe would be a lot less expensive, and a sure hit.

Especially if is sang stupid songs like that stupid "Billy Bass" fish plaque.

Here ya go:
ProFORMA - create 3D models with a webcam – Computer Chips & Hardware Technology | Geek.com

^One of the cooler things I've seen this year.

Probably easiest to have cheap overseas labor build you a 3d model from a few photos, then 3d print the file and finish, paint, assemble.
Or go fully stone age and have villagers in china recreate the houses in clay.

I have a friend who just started an outsourcing company... pretty cheap CAD monkeys if you're interested. One of their first projects was actually writing their own CAD software for designing housing developments, so this sort of thing is right up their alley. Plus they're in siberia, so they know plenty about snow :D

Mushrooms?

Dang Son, ever hear of Google Earth? I can get an aerial for nothing - just need an address!

There are color 3D printers. So the color isn't a problem, if you have the 3D model ...

George

Yep, Google earth is free but the imagery is not real high resolution. The images are usually several years old. We love Google Earth and we use it all the time.

I guess I should have typed that original response in green.

look how prettyhttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1261148408.jpg

Glen - for high def I agree, but for a general roof shape and topography of the lawn, I think it would be ok. I think the easiest would be to have a collection of 100 of the most common home shapes and have the ability to add-subtract structures. That would take the cost out of the whole 3D development rapid prototyping. Just an idea...

I guess I get all caught up in making of an accurate model of the house. My house is different that the other houses in my neighborhood. There are so many houses that the garage is the main feature of the house. My garage is on the side of the house. It is not a cookie cutter house with the floor plan flipped for every other house.