Bad Designs · Reality capture · Raleigh, NC

Capturing the real worldin 3D.

I turn real objects and places into 3D with laser scanning, splatting, photogrammetry and LiDAR.

Captures
3
Methods
4
In use so far
2
Blower_fan · scan → modelDrag to rotate
Handheld 3D scanner projecting blue laser lines onto the rear of a white car covered in tracking markers
Field_000.jpgScanning the rear of a car

Many ways to capture.

Some measure shape to a fraction of a millimetre. Others record how a place really looks.

  1. Broken fan wheel on a workbench surrounded by scan reference markers, with a handheld 3D scanner connected to a laptop

    012 captures

    3D scanning

    Laser lines trace the surface and build the shape one pass at a time.

    In
    Laser light + reference markers
    Out
    Mesh, then a CAD model
    Best for
    Accurate shape: parts that have to fit
  2. Gaussian splat of a bronze statue of a bearded wizard holding a model of a castle

    021 capture

    Gaussian splatting

    Photos become millions of soft points that look real from any angle.

    In
    Ordinary photos or video
    Out
    An explorable 3D scene
    Best for
    How something looks, viewed in a browser

Captures.

A part, a car, a statue. Each write-up shows how it was captured and what came out.

Rendered 3D model of the Volvo dashcam cover, with vent slots and a round lens opening

SCAN_003Volvo_dashcam_cover.stl

Reverse Engineering Spotlight: Volvo

Scan of the mount area → custom-fit cover, prototyped and printed

A custom dashcam cover for a Volvo, developed from 3D scans and prototypes. One of my more challenging reverse engineering projects, and worth the time.

Gaussian splat of a bronze statue of a bearded wizard holding a model of a castle

SCAN_002Harry_Potter_splat.ply

Gaussian Splatting Harry Potter

Photo capture → explorable Gaussian splat

Gaussian splatting turns ordinary photos into a 3D scene you can explore. Spin and zoom around this interactive splat right in your browser.

Rendered 3D model of the blower fan wheel

SCAN_001Blower_fan.stl

Reverse Engineering: Blower Fan

Scan → SolidWorks model → printed 1:1 replacement

A broken squirrel-cage fan from an air hockey table, 3D scanned, rebuilt in SolidWorks and printed in PLA as a 1:1 replacement in a couple of days.

Turnaround
2 days
Material
PLA

On the bench

1992 Mitsubishi 3000GT

Interior scanning and part rebuilds for an ongoing project car. Write-up coming.

Browse the project book

Put to work.

Something worth capturing?

I'm always looking for the next thing to capture. Want one made for you? The services page has the details.