3D scanner at Belval: Help us take the next step in 3D body modelling
Scientists at the University of Luxembourg’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) are working on the next breakthrough in 3D scanning technology, and they need volunteers.
From April 2017, an Artec Shapify Booth (a 3D full body scanner made by Artec 3D) will be installed in the cafeteria on the 1st floor of the university’s Maison du Savoir, Belval. Staff, students and members of the public are invited to volunteer to be scanned. The data gathered will allow scientists working at the university’s Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) to develop new mathematical methods for modelling the human body shape in 3D.
The full scanning process takes approximately 15 minutes per person, and volunteers go home with a 3D selfie and electronic access to their 3D data. There will also be a monthly competition for volunteers to win a 3D printed statue of themselves.
The full scanning process takes approximately 15 minutes per person, and volunteers go home with a 3D selfie and electronic access to their 3D data.
Currently, state-of-the-art 3D scanning devices can only facilitate the creation of accurate digital 3D models of the body if the subject is wearing skin-tight clothing. This has clear drawbacks for everyday applications, and a team of SnT scientists, led by Dr Djamila Aouada, in collaboration with Artec 3D have set themselves the challenge of being able to arrive at accurate estimations of body shape regardless of clothing.
“In healthcare, for example, medical staff would be able to take comprehensive 3D body measurements just by scanning their patients,” explains PhD candidate Alexandre Saint, one of the researchers involved in the project. “The benefits of being able to infer this data, despite occlusion from clothing, would be enormous in terms of making 3D scanning a viable tool for medical experts and enhancing efficiency and patient comfort.”
Current techniques relying on face recognition could be greatly enhanced by the wealth of information full body scanning can provide.
Another field in which the research could make significant contributions is security and surveillance. Current techniques relying on face recognition could be greatly enhanced by the wealth of information full body scanning can provide. Unfortunately, current 3D technology relies on a large number of scans to arrive at an accurate body model. “The aim is to be able to arrive at such models from only limited data,” says Saint. “Eventually, we will even be able to infer 3D information from 2D images.”
Data confidentiality is of the greatest importance, and SnT is working closely with the Luxembourgish Commission Nationale pour la Protection des Données.
For further information, please email shapify3D@uni.lu. The scanning booth is open Monday to Thursday at lunchtimes during term time, from April to July.
The Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) is collaborating with Artec 3D through its Partnership Program, where SnT scientists are researching new concepts to tackle the key challenges facing industry and the public sector in information and communication technology (ICT).
