Utilizing 3D Scanning for Historic Preservation

At Direct Dimensions we are using some new technologies that we believe are a perfect fit for preservation applications not only because they are fast and highly accurate, but because they are also non-contact methods of acquiring massive amounts of data that can be used for documentation, restoration and preservation.

The Druid Hill Arch is a perfect example of how our team was able to collect highly accurate data of a large monument in less than a day.

Step 1) A team of Direct Dimensions engineers and team members from John Milner Associates arrive on-site at approximately 8 AM to begin set up. Within thirty minutes they are ready to start scanning the arch.






Step 2) Using the portable Surphaser HSX Spherical Scanner the team was able to take over 20 scans in the next few hours. The Surphaser is perfect for architectural preservation projects because it can be taken anywhere (it can be carried on a plane) and is made to quickly and accurately scan mid-large range objects such as planes, vehicles and buildings.




Step 3) Our team finished scanning/data collection and was back in our office, aligning all the data by close of business the same day.







Step 4) Initial deliverables include plan views and elevations, but the data can also be used for physical reproductions, animations, renderings, virtual environments or anything else you can think of.





Stay tuned! We're still working on the Druid Hill Arch and are excited to show some of the 3D visualizations we've been working on.

CMSC presentation "History of the Articulating Arm"

Direct Dimensions is at CMSC this week. Make sure to stop by and see us at Booth 703.

If you have time tomorrow between 1:30-4:30, make sure to stop into the "Metrology Systems Fundamentals" seminar. Michael will be giving a presentation on the history of the articulating arm. For a sneak peek, check out the video below.



If you don't have time to catch the presentation or can't make it to the show, just check back here early next week. We try to make a habit out of posting show presentations so that everyone gets a chance to see them.

Real Time 3D Face Scanning

When Direct Dimensions was at the RAPID show back in May, we had a chance to demo our new face scanner, the DI3D, for Design World Magazine. We're very excited about this new face scanning technology and its applications. In just a couple of seconds the system captures enough 3D data for an incredibly realistic and accurate 3D face model.

Possible applications include:

Medical: surgical planning, analysis, and patient presentation for orthodontics, maxillofacial, plastic/cosmetics, ENT, craniofacial; medical appliances such as CPAP masks, burn masks, radiation shields, etc.; medical documentation and analysis, etc.

Entertainment: personalized avatars for video games, online social networks, movie CG animation, mass customized personal consumer items such as bobble heads, etc.

Security: facial recognition and biometrics, access control systems, facial databases

See the video below for a great demonstration of the DI3D in action.




For more on the DI3D system click here or you can also visit Dimensional Imaging.

3D Laser Scanning Historic Druid Hill Park Entrance Arch

Direct Dimensions, Inc. in conjunction with John Milner Associates will be in Druid Hill Park this morning, June 30th, 3D laser scanning the old Madison Avenue Entrance Arch to Druid Hill Park. The 3D scan data will be used to restore the arch, part of an on-going, park-wide restoration project.

About the Arch:
• The park itself is one of the three oldest landscaped urban parks in the country (along with Central Park and Fairmount Park in Philadelphia) and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
• The entrance was completed in 1868 and served as the main entrance to the park until it was separated from the park proper by the completion of Druid Park Lake Drive.
• In 1961 the arches, declared to be a traffic hazard, were almost torn down. $14,000.00 dollars were raised for the preservation of the arches and demolition was avoided.
• Almost 50 years later the restoration efforts are finally beginning.

3D engineers from Direct Dimensions and preservation specialists from John Milner Associates will be on-site at the Druid Hill Arch today from 8 AM to 1 PM, scanning this piece of national history.

We invite anyone who is interested to come down (Madison Ave and Druid Park Lake Drive) and view the scanning/documentation process. We’re happy to answer any questions and talk about the project.

Direct Dimensions on WJZ 13's Morning Edition

Harry Abramson, Director of the Art Department at Direct Dimensions had a chance to visit with Ron Matz on WJZ Channel 13's Morning Edition. Harry and Ron discussed some of the more entertaining applications of 3D Scanning such as our work on the Lincoln Model featured in Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian and creating incredibly realistic avatars for gaming. Harry even showed Ron some Rapid Prototypes related to recent, exciting projects we've worked on, including a full scale RP of Harry's face and a 20 ft tall historic sculpture that we scanned.



You can see the segment here.

Miniature City, Massive Rapid Prototype

In the last couple of years scanning buildings and construction for everything from external historical renovations to HVAC analysis in new construction has become an increasingly large part of our business. Some of the new scanning technologies, like the Surphaser, make 3D scanning a perfect new tool for the surveyor/restoration architect/contractor's tool box, so it is not surprising that we're noticing more projects about scanning/3D models being utilized by architects.

While we've used 3D scanning for plenty of large projects, we've never seen a building project using Rapid Prototyping on such a huge scale. While we had nothing to do with this project, we thought it was too neat not to share:



Last Thursday, June 9th, a fully scaled SLA model of Chicago was unveiled in the atrium of the Chicago Architectural Foundation. According to the Chicago Tribune:

"A 25- by-35-foot model of the city will be open for viewing, free of charge at the Chicago Architecture Foundation, inspired by similar models in Beijing and Shanghai that show how those cities also have rapidly grown and changed.
The display portrays more than four square miles of the city, from the lakefront on the east to Halsted Street on the west and Oak Street on the north to 16th Street to the south. It contains an exact model of every building in the area. There are more than 1,000 of them, from a 3-foot-high Sears Tower down to old two-story storefronts."

Using grant money, the Foundation purchased existing architectural drawings and 3D models to create the massive SLA city. Columbian Model Works and Exhibit was the company that built the model and they claim that is the largest structure of it's kind. In a model of hundreds of buildings a single SLA skyscraper could take up to 70 hours to build.

The Chicago Architectural Foundation plans to keep the exhibit and add to it as the city of Chicago grows and changes. If you happen to be in Chicago between now and September 20th, make sure to stop in and see this amazing Rapid Prototyping Feat!

To read the full story in the Chicago Tribune click here.

WJZ 13 Broadcast Featuring Direct Dimensions

In case you missed the show yesterday, WJZ 13's piece "Direct Dimensions Transforms Our Digital Universe," can be found below:

To see the story on WJZ, please visit Direct Dimensions Transforms Our Digital Universe.

DDI on WJZ Channel 13 Newscast Tonight!

above left: Direct Dimensions' Original 3D Polygonal Data. above right: Still from Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian © 2009 Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation.

We just wanted to let all of our local friends and family know that Direct Dimensions will be featured on the WJZ Channel 13 newscast on Monday June 8, 2009 during both the 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm news.

Reporter Ron Matz visited our facility to cover our work with the Lincoln Memorial and subsequent involvement in the blockbuster film Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. We also had the opportunity to scan Mr. Matz and showcase our new 3D face and 3D body scanning technologies. It is an exciting time to be working in 3D technologies! Please watch and let us know what you think.

For those of you that aren't in the Baltimore area or aren't able to catch it the first time around, stay tuned. We'll post the clip as soon as we have it.



Ron Matz from Baltimore's WJZ Channel 13 News shooting the introduction at Direct Dimensions on Monday June 8, 2009

Michael Raphael's RAPID 2009 Keynote

In case you weren't able to make it to SME's RAPID 2009 Conference in Chicago and hear Michael Raphael's Keynote "A Perspective on the 3D Imaging Industry," we've posted it below for you to view:

Direct Dimensions SME 3D Imaging 2009 Conference Keynote Presentation V2c Release

View more OpenOffice presentations from directdimensions.

Going to RAPID 2009?

If you are involved in product design, development, production tooling, and advanced manufacturing processes then we strongly recommend that you attend.

We love the RAPID show and this year it is co-located with the 3D Imaging conference. It promises to be three very informative days; filled with more than 60 technical sessions that address the diverse uses of rapid technologies, additive manufacturing and 3D imaging.

There will also be hands-on workshops, including workshops on metalcasting solutions and architectural modeling, plant tours and a show floor featuring major industry exhibitors. (Self promotion alert: we'll be at booth # 100 ).

One of the things that we are most excited about is that Michael is going to be giving a key-note address on the closing day of the conference. He'll be talking about the future of the 3D Scanning and Rapid Manufacturing industries. You'll want to make sure to hear his presentation if you get a chance. Michael has been working in this industry since 1985 and is full of insight on where it has been and where 3D technologies are going.

For more info on the conference please visit SME's Website.