Description

Our project is to design and build a 3 DOF Table Top 3D Photogrammetry Device. Let’s break it down.

3D Photogrammetry is the process of taking multiple images that cover a variety of angles around a hemispherical view of an object, then converting these images into point cloud data and finally a 3D mesh with real textures mapped to it. Essentially, turning pictures into 3D models with the actual colours of the object!

The typical manual set-up involves setting your desired object on a turn table, and your camera on an arm that can rotate 90 Degrees in an upper hemisphere. This gives us 2 DOF. Even in automated setups that we find online, there exists only these 2 DOF.

Vision

With our project, we wish to introduce a 3rd DOF in the form of the radial distance away from the object. This is not only for taking close-up shots for more details but also to provide more options for the user if they wish to replace the camera with inspection hardware such as a USB microscope to get more detailed close-up images of their object.