A Brief History of Fireworks

All Posts, Chemical engineering, ,

Peter Lobner

There is a good history of fireworks by Joe Carmichael posted on the INVERSE website at the following link:

https://www.inverse.com/article/9731-fireworks-a-brief-history-of-things-exploding-attractively

Here, you can scroll through an illustrated timeline (see screenshot, below) from the advent of bamboo firecrackers in 200 BCE to modern day fireworks.

Tiimeline of fireworks  Source: INVERSE

Of local interest, the timeline includes the July 4th 2012 San Diego Big Bay Boom (aka Big Bay Bust), when a technical malfunction caused all fireworks on multiple barges in the bay to be fired prematurely in a spectacular 30 second pyrotechnic display.

San Diego 2012 Big Bay Bust  Source: YouTube

In case you missed the actual event, you can see a (short) video at the following link:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/san-diego-fireworks-big-bay-boom-ruined-video-article-1.1108259

My personal favorite is the Sydney, Australia New Year’s fireworks display, which begins with what looks like an explosive demolition of the Harbor Bridge and then continues with the spectacular main event seen in the photos below.

2016 New-Years-Eve-Sydney-Fireworks2016 sydney-fireworks-ceremonySource: http://www.inewyearsevequotes.com/happy-new-years-eve-sydney-fireworks-2016/

You can see a short video of the start of Sydney’s 2016 New Year’s fireworks at the following link:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2015/dec/31/sydney-harbour-new-year-fireworks-2016-video

First Ever 3D Printed Object Made From Asteroid / Meteorite Metals

All Posts, Manufacturing, Materials, Spacecraft and Missions, , , , , ,

Peter Lobner

In a 31 December 2015 post, I discussed the “U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act,” which was signed into law on 25 November 2015 and established, among other things, the legal basis for asteroid mining. I also identified the firm Planetary Resources (http://www.planetaryresources.com/ – home-intro) as one of the firms having a business interest in asteroid prospecting.

Today, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) today in Las Vegas, Planetary Resources announced that they, in collaboration with their partner firm, 3D Systems (http://www.3dsystems.com), have produced the first ever direct metal print of an object using metals recovered from an asteroid (or meteorite) that impacted Earth.

PlanetaryResources_3DSystems_Meteorite2_LOW-680x355 Source: Planetary Resources

In the Planetary Resources announcement, they stated that the material used for 3D printing:

  • “…was sourced from the Campo Del Cielo impact near Argentina, and is composed of iron, nickel and cobalt – similar materials to refinery grade steel.”
  • “ …was pulverized, powdered and (then) processed on the new 3D Systems ProX DMP 320 metals 3D printer.”

You can read the announcement at the following link:

http://www.planetaryresources.com/2016/01/planetary-resources-and-3d-systems-reveal-first-ever-3d-printed-object-from-asteroid-metals/

You can read more about the ProX DMP 320 3D printer at the following link:

http://www.3dsystems.com/3d-printers/production/prox-dmp-320

The milestone announced today demonstrates a key capability needed for building research bases and commercial facilities in space using raw materials found on another body in our solar system.

Imagine what the cargo manifest will be on future space missions to destinations that have useful natural resources that can be mined and prepared on site for use in various 3D printing (additive manufacturing) activities. The early missions will need to carry pre-fabricated structures for an initial base, tools for initial mining and manufacturing work, other items manufactured on Earth, and consumables. Once the on-site mining and manufacturing facilities reach an initial operating capability, the extended supply chain from Earth can be reduced commensurate with the capabilities of the local supply chain.

For more background information on this subject, National Academies Press published the  report, “3D Printing in Space”, which you can download for free at the following link if you have set up a MyNAP account:

http://www.nap.edu/catalog/18871/3d-printing-in-space

18871-0309310083-450  Source:  NAP

Opportunities for 3D printing in space addressed in this NAP report include: manufacturing new or replacement parts needed on a space vehicle or off-Earth facility; creating structures that are difficult to produce on, or transport from, Earth; creating a fully-printed spacecraft; using resources available on planetary surfaces; recycling materials in space; and establishing a free-flying fabrication facility.  The report also includes roadmaps for NASA and the U.S. Air Force deployment of 3D printing capabilities in space.

This is just the start. Manufacturing in space using locally sourced materials will revolutionize our approach for building a permanent human presence off the planet Earth.

Just What are Those U.S. Scientists Doing in the Antarctic and the Southern Ocean?

All Posts, Antarctic, Biology, Genetics, Global Climate, Ocean Sciences, Physics, , , , , , ,

Peter Lobner

The National Academies Press (NAP) recently published the report, “A Strategic Vision for NSF Investments in Antarctic and Southern Ocean Research”, which you can download for free at the following link if you have established a MyNAP account:

http://www.nap.edu/catalog/21741/a-strategic-vision-for-nsf-investments-in-antarctic-and-southern-ocean-research

Print Source: NAP

NSF states that research on the Southern Ocean and the Antarctic ice sheets is becoming increasingly urgent not only for understanding the future of the region but also its interconnections with and impacts on many other parts of the globe. The research priorities for the next decade, as recommended by the Committee on the Development of a Strategic Vision for the U.S. Antarctic Program; Polar Research Board; Division on Earth and Life Studies; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, are summarized below:

  • Core Program: Investigator-driven basic research across a broad range of disciplines
    • NSF gives the following rationale: “…it is impossible to predict where the next major breakthroughs or advances will happen. Thus to ensure that the nation is well positioned to take advantage of such breakthroughs, it is important to be engaged in all core areas of scientific research.”
      • NSF notes, “…discoveries are often made by single or small groups of PIs thinking outside the box, or with a crazy new idea, or even just making the first observations from a new place.”
    • Examples of basic research that have led to important findings include:
      • Ross Sea food chain is affected by a high abundance of predator species (whales, penguins and toothfish) all competing for the same limited resource: krill. Decline or recovery of one predator population can be seen in an inverse effect on the other predator populations.  This food chain response is not seen in other areas of the Antarctic ice shelf where predator populations are lower, allowing a larger krill population that adequately supports all predators.
      • Basic research into “curious” very-low frequency (VLF) radio emissions produced by lightning discharges led to a larger program (with a 21.2-km-long VLF antenna) and ultimately to a better understanding of the behavior of plasma in the magnetosphere.
  • Strategic, Large Research Initiatives –  selection criteria:
    • Primary filter: compelling science – research that has the potential for important, transformative steps forward in understanding and discovery
    • Subsequent filters: potential for societal impact; time-sensitive in nature; readiness / feasibility; and key area for U.S. and NSF leadership.
    • Additional factors: partnership potential; impact on program balance; potential to help bridge existing disciplinary divides
  • Strategic, Large Research Initiative – recommendations::
    • Priority I: The Changing Antarctic Ice Sheets Initiative to determine how fast and by how much will sea level rise?
      • A multidisciplinary initiative to understand why the Antarctic ice sheets is changing now and how they will change in the future.
      • Will use multiple records of past ice sheet change to understand rates and processes.
    • Priority II: How do Antarctic biota evolve and adapt to the changing environment?
      • Decoding the genomic (DNA) and transcriptomic (messenger RNA molecules) bases of biological adaptation and response across Antarctic organisms and ecosystems.
    • Priority III: How did the universe begin and what are the underlying physical laws that govern its evolution and ultimate fate?
      • A next-generation cosmic microwave background (CBM) program that builds on the current successful CMB program using telescopes at the South Pole and the high Atacama Plateau in Chile and possibly will add a new site in the Northern Hemisphere to allow observations of the full sky

You will find detailed descriptions of the Priority I to III strategic programs in the Strategic Vision report.

Heritage Foundation’s 2016 Index of U.S. Military Strength

All Posts, National Security, , , , ,

Peter Lobner

Heritage Foundation recently released the subject report, which assesses the current ability of the U.S. military to provide for the common defense. Heritage Foundation notes: “This …. Index of U.S. Military Strength gauges the ability of the U.S. military to perform its missions in today’s world, and each sub­sequent edition will provide the basis for measuring the improvement or weakening of that ability.”

Heritage Foundation 2016 index cover  Source: Heritage Foundation

The report, edited by Dakota L. Wood, is organized as follows:

  • Introduction.
  • Executive Summary
  • The Role of a Strong National Defense
  • The Contemporary Spectrum of Conflict: Protracted, Gray Zone, Ambiguous, and Hybrid Modes of War
  • Preempting Further Russian Aggression Against Europe
  • Intelligence and National Defense
  • America’s Reserve and National Guard Components: Key Contributors to U.S. Military Strength
  • Assessing the Global Operating Environment
  • Assessing Threats to U.S. Vital Interests
  • An Assessment of U.S. Military Power
  • Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations
  • Methodology
  • Appendix: Military Capabilities and Corresponding Modernization Programs

The Heritage Foundation notes that the, “2016 Index of U.S. Mil­itary Strength concludes that America’s ‘hard power’ has deteriorated still further over the past year, pri­marily as a result of inadequate funding that has led to a shrinking force that possesses aging equipment and modest levels of readiness for combat.”

You can download the complete report, or just individual sections or chapters, at the following link:

http://index.heritage.org/military/2016/resources/download/

I hope you will read this report and draw your own conclusions.

Legal Basis Established for U.S. Commercial Space Launch Industry Self-regulation and Commercial Asteroid Mining

All Posts, Astronomy, Mining, Spacecraft and Missions, , , , , , , ,

Peter Lobner

On 25 November 2015, the “U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act” was signed into law, and fundamentally changed the commercial U.S. space industry. The law consists of four parts:

  • Title I: “Spurring Private Aerospace Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship Act of 2015,” or, “SPACE Act of 2015”
    • Limits regulation of the commercial space launch industry for the next decade.
    • Rather than increasing government regulations now, the U.S. commercial space transportation industry is charged with developing, “voluntary consensus standards or any other construction that promotes best practices.”
    • Beginning on December 31, 2025, DOT may propose new regulations
  • Title II addresses DOT’s authority to license private sector parties to operate private remote sensing space systems.
  • Title III renames the Office of Space Commercialization as the Office of Space Commerce and specifies the roles of this office.
  • Title IV: “Space Resource Exploration and Utilization Act of 2015,” specifies:
    • “Any asteroid resources obtained in outer space are the property of the entity that obtained them, which shall be entitled to all property rights to them, consistent with applicable federal law and existing international obligations.”
    • “A U.S. commercial space resource utilization entity:
      • Shall avoid causing harmful interference in outer space, and
      • May bring a civil action in a U.S. district court for any action by another entity subject to U.S. jurisdiction causing harmful interference to its operations with respect to an asteroid resource utilization activity in outer space.”
    • This Act includes a “Disclaimer of Extraterritorial Sovereignty”
      • While commercial rights are specified in the Act, the U.S. “does not thereby assert sovereignty or sovereign or exclusive rights or jurisdiction over, or the ownership of, any celestial body.”

You can read a summary and the entire Act at the following link:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/2262

To get a perspective on potential opportunities for asteroid mining, check out Asterank, which is a database on over 600,000 asteroids at the following link:

http://www.asterank.com

Many are “near-Earth” asteroids, with orbits that approach or cross Earth’s orbit.

Asterank screenshotSource: Asterank

Asterank includes important data such as asteroid mass, composition, and estimates of the costs and rewards of mining specific asteroids. Asterank was created and is maintained by Ian Webster. The firm Planetary Resources acquired Asterank in May 2013.

Once you’ve determined your target asteroid, you can plan to fetch it with the help of the 2012 “Asteroid Retrieval Feasibility Study” by the Keck Institute for Space Studies, which you can download from the following link:

http://www.kiss.caltech.edu/study/asteroid/asteroid_final_report.pdf

Planetary Resources’ business focus is on Earth observation and asteroid prospecting. You can read about the technologies they currently are developing to support asteroid prospecting at the following link:

http://www.planetaryresources.com/asteroids/#asteroids-intro

As noted by Planetary Resources, “near-Earth asteroids are the “low hanging fruit of the Solar System.” Their website identified eight candidate targets of interest.

With the reduced regulatory risk offered by the U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act, investors are certain to take a more favorable view toward making long-term investments in commercial launch vehicles and asteroid mining technologies. It will be years before commercial asteroid prospecting missions become a reality and much longer before the real economics of asteroid mining are known. Asteroid mining will require very large, long-term investments, but this isn’t science fiction any more.

The Story Behind the Apollo 8 Earthrise Photo

All Posts, Spacecraft and Missions, , , ,

Peter Lobner

You’ve all seen the iconic, first-ever photo of Earthrise as seen from lunar orbit.

NASA Earthrise Source: NASA

This photo was taken during the first lunar orbital mission, Apollo 8, on 24 December 1968 by astronaut Bill Anders, with help from the other Apollo 8 crew members, Frank Borman and Jim Lovell.

NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center has reconstructed the events surrounding that historic photo using detailed lunar maps prepared from current Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) data, along with the photos taken by the Apollo 8 astronauts, data on the orientation and maneuvers of the Apollo 8 spacecraft, and the actual recorded conversations among the astronauts.

I think you will enjoy NASA Goddard’s 7-minute video reconstruction, which you can view at the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/dE-vOscpiNc

Now, 47 years later, that photo is no less inspirational than it was the day it was first published. Thank you, Apollo 8, for a enduring Christmas present.

100th Meeting of the Lyncean Group

All Posts, ,

Peter Lobner

Congratulations to the Lyncean Group founders who had the vision in November 2002 to create the Group as a forum for retired and semi-retired technical professionals to meet regularly to discuss subjects associated with science and technology, to learn from one another, to share thoughts and ideas, and to enjoy their mutual interest in science, technology and related fields.

Coin Front         Coin Back

Bill Hagan reported that Lyncean Group membership now stands at 122, and this week’s meeting was the 100th meeting of the Lyncean Group. To commemorate this milestone, Dr. Lorenz (Larry) Kull was recognized as the chief instigator behind the formation of the Lyncean Group. Larry was presented with a Lyncean clock made by Bill Hagan’s Dad.

Larry Kull 100th meeting

Larry noted that it really was the founder’s wives who were the driving force for forming the Lyncean Group because it would give the founders a reason to get out of the house more often.

Starting with meeting #2 in February 2003, each meeting has included a presentation by a Lyncean Group member or an invited guest speaker. You can access the list of past meetings from the Lyncean Group home page or directly from the following link:

https://lynceans.org/pastmeetings/

In most cases, the list of past meetings includes links to the presentation material also available on the Lyncean Group website. For the 100th meeting, guest speaker, Dr. Hosseni Eslambolchi, made an outstanding presentation on, “The Power of Technology to Transform the Future.”

Top 10 tech trends crop

Dr. Eslambolchi’s presentation slides have been posted on the Lyncean Group website and are available to view or download.

Future meetings already are scheduled well into 2016. Our next meeting will be on 27 January 2016. To see the list of planned speakers and topics, you can access the schedule from the Lyncean Group home page or directly from the following link:

https://lynceans.org/upcoming/

As of today, there are 100 posts on the Lyncean technical blog site, Pete’s Lynx; the last being, “100th Anniversary of Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity and the Advent of a New Generation of Gravity Wave Detectors.” You can access the blog site from the Lyncean Group home page or directly from the following link:

https://lynceans.org/petes-lynx/

If you have comments on this blog, please use the Contacts page on the Lyncean Group website to send Pete a message. The following link will take you to that page.

https://lynceans.org/contact/

Thanks to all Lyncean Group members for helping to make the Group a success through your participation in the group’s meetings. Just try to imagine the technical topics we will be addressing in the next 100 meetings. Our mutual interest in the rapidly changing technologies affecting our world should make for lively discussions and engaging meetings.

Happy holidays to all!

100th Anniversary of Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity and the Advent of a New Generation of Gravity Wave Detectors

All Posts, Astrophysics, Cosmology, Physics, , , , , , , , , , ,

Peter Lobner

One hundred years ago, Albert Einstein presented his General Theory of Relativity in November 1915, at the Prussian Academy of Science. Happy Anniversary, Dr. Einstein!

Today, general relativity is being tested with unprecedented accuracy with a new generation of gravity-wave “telescopes” in the U.S., Italy, Germany, and Japan. All are attempting to directly detect gravity waves, which are the long-predicted quakes in space-time arising from cataclysmic cosmic sources.

The status of four gravity-wave telescopes is summarized below.

USA: Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO)

LIGO is a multi-kilometer-scale gravitational wave detector that uses laser interferometry to, hopefully, measure the minute ripples in space-time caused by passing gravitational waves. LIGO consists of two widely separated interferometers within the United States; one in Hanford, WA and the other in Livingston, LA. These facilities are operated in unison to detect gravitational waves. The Livingston and Hanford LIGO sites are shown in the following photos (Hanford above, Livingston below):

ligo-hanford-aerial-02Source LIGO Caltechligo-livingston-aerial-03Source: LIGO Caltech

LIGO is operated by Caltech and MIT and is supported by the National Academy of Sciences. For more information, visit the LIGO website at the following link:

https://ligo.caltech.edu/page/about

Basically, LIGO is similar to the traditional interferometer used in 1887 in the famous Michelson-Morley experiment (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelson–Morley_experiment). However, the LIGO interferometer incorporates novel features to greatly increase its sensitivity. The basic arrangement of the interferometer is shown in the following diagram.

LIGO experiment setupSource: LIGO Caltech

Each leg of the interferometer has a physical length of 4 km and is a resonant Fabry-Perot cavity that uses a complex set of mirrors to extend the effective arm length by a factor of 400 to 1,600 km.

On 18 September 2015, the first official “observing run” using LIGO’s advanced detectors began. This “observing run” is planned to last three months. LIGO’s advanced detectors are already three times more sensitive than Initial LIGO was by the end of its observational lifetime in 2007. You can read about this milestone event at the following link:

https://ligo.caltech.edu/news/ligo20150918

You also can find much more information on the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC) at the following link:

http://www.ligo.org

Italy: VIRGO

VIRGO is installed near Pisa, Italy, at the site of the European Gravitational Observatory (http://www.ego-gw.it/public/virgo/virgo.aspx). VIRGO is intended to directly observe gravitational waves using a Michelson interferometer with arms that are 3 km long, with resonant Fabry-Perot cavities that increase the effective arm length by a factor of 50 to 150 km. The initial version of VIRGO operated from 2007 to 2011 and the facility currently is being upgraded with a new, more sensitive detector. VIRGO is expected to return to operation in 2018.

You can find much more information on VIRGO at the following link:

http://www.virgo-gw.eu

Germany: GEO600

GEO600 is installed near Hanover, Germany. It, too, uses a Michelson interferometer with arms that are 600 meters long, with resonant Fabry-Perot cavities that double the effective arm length to 1,200 meters.

You can find much more information on the GEO600 portal at the following link:

http://www.geo600.org

Japan: KAGRA Large-scale Cryogenic Gravitational Wave Telescope

The KAGRA telescope is installed deep underground, in tunnels of Kamioka mine, as shown in the following diagram.

img_abt_lcgtSource: KAGARA

Like the other facilities described previously, KAGRA is a Michelson interferometer with resonant Fabry-Perot cavities. The physical length of each arm is of 3 km (1.9 mi). KAGRA is expected to be in operation in 2018.

You can find much more information on KAGARA at the following links:

http://www.astro.umd.edu/~miller/Compact/lcgt.pdf

and,

http://gwcenter.icrr.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/

The Magnus Effect and its Broad Applications: From Sports to Ballistics to Dam Busting in WW II

Aeronautical, All Posts, Physics, , ,

Peter Lobner

The Magnus effect occurs when a moving spherical or cylindrical body has a spin. The observed effect is that the moving, spinning body moves away from the intended direction of travel. The spin alters the airflow around the moving body and, by conservation of momentum, generates the Magnus force. In the case of a flying (thrown) backspinnning round body shown below, the Magnus force is a lift.

Sketch_of_Magnus_effectSource: Wikipedia

The Magnus force is named for German physicist Heinrich Gustav Magnus, who described the effect in 1852. Other scientists had described the effect long before Magnus, notably Isaac Newton (in 1672) and British mathematician and ballistic researcher Benjamin Robins (in 1742), but it was Magnus who got the honor.

We can see the Magnus effect at work in sports and in other applications discussed below.

Baseball

The pitcher can impart a spin in a selected direction to throw a curveball, slider or other pitch. Major League Baseball (MLB) uses a system called PITCHf/x, which is installed in every MLB stadium, to track the speed and trajectory of pitched baseballs. The system calculates two values, BRK and PFX, related to the Magnus effect:

  • BRK is a measure of the amount of bend in the trajectory at its greatest distance from a straight line
  • PFX is a measure of the deflection of the baseball due to the spin and drag forces from the path it would have taken under the influence of gravity alone

You can find more information on PITCHf/x at the following links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PITCHf/x

and,

http://www.fangraphs.com/library/misc/pitch-fx/

Golf

A backspin on a golf ball creates a lift, as shown in the diagram above, helping to extend the range of the shot. A topspin has the opposite effect, shortening the ball’s trajectory. A spin about a vertical or diagonal axis results in a slice or hook to the right or left, invariably putting the ball into deep grass or some other course hazard. I have trouble visualizing how a golfer imparts a spin about the ball’s vertical or diagonal axis, but apparently it is a lot easier that you might think.

Extreme basketball

Thanks to Dave Groce, who forwarded the following link to a video that demonstrates how the Magnus effect helped a group in Tasmania sink a basketball from the top of a dam.  I have a feeling that there were a lot more basketballs at the bottom of the dam than are shown in the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OSrvzNW9FE

Ballistics

A spinning bullet will encounter a Magnus force if it yaws slightly in flight (i.e., direction of the central axis of the bullet is slightly different than its direction of flight, or velocity vector) or is shot into a crosswind. The direction of the Magnus force will depend on the direction of yaw or crosswind. A sniper shooting at long range needs to consider the Magnus effect.

WW II Dambusters

As reported on the Bomber Command website (http://www.bombercommandmuseum.ca/damsraid1.html):

 “The Dams Raid was conceived in the brilliant mind of Barnes Wallis, an experienced aircraft designer. Wallis had designed the very successful Wellington bomber that had been operational since the beginning of the war and, in his spare time, he searched for weaknesses in the enemy’s industrial infrastructure. The hydroelectric dams of the highly Ruhr Valley became his focus.

He devised a cylindrical, 9,500 pound weapon that could be dropped at low level while rotating backwards at 500 rpm. Released from a height of 60 feet, about 450 yards from the dam, and at a speed of 230 miles per hour, the weapon would then skip along the water (and over any torpedo nets) until it struck the dam wall, the spinning maintaining the weapon’s stability and slowing it down.

The backward rotation would then cause the cylinder to roll down the dam wall where it would explode at a predetermined depth. The wall would be weakened and the great weight of water would cause the dam to collapse.”

Experiments performed by Wallis demonstrated that the Magnus effect gave aerodynamic lift to the bomb and thereby increased the number of bounces before the bomb either struck the dam or stopped bouncing and sank.

p_damsraid1bSource: Bomber Command Museum

There is much more information on Sir Barnes Wallis and the Dams Raid on the Bomber Command website.

For more information, I also recommend the book, “Dam Busters: The True Story of the Inventors and Airmen Who Led the Devastating Raid to Smash the German Dams in 1943,” by James Holland, published by Grove Press, New York, and available in paperback in 2014, ISBN-13: 978-0802122780.

Compact, Mobile 3D Scanning Systems that can Render a Complete, Editable 3D Model in Minutes

All Posts, Computer Technology, , , ,

Peter Lobner

The Cubify (cubify.com) iSense 3D scanner is a high-resolution, infra red depth sensor that clips onto an iPad, uses the iPad camera, accelerometer and gyroscopes to understand its orientation relative to the subject, and with the all-important 3D scanning application running on the iPad, creates a scale 3D model of the subject.

iSenseSource: Cubify

I first saw the iSense 3D scanner demonstrated in July 2015 at Comic-Con San Diego. With the scanner attached to the back of an iPad, the person conducting the demonstration selected a subject to be scanned and then walked around that person at a distance of about three feet while monitoring the real-time scan progress on the iPad screen. In about 90 seconds the scan around the subject was complete and it took about another 90 seconds for the software to render the 3D model (a “point cloud”) of the subject’s head. Since this was a quick demonstration, there were a couple of small voids in the 3D model (i.e., under the chin and nose where the scanner didn’t “see”), but otherwise, the resulting model was an accurate scale representation of the subject. What was even more remarkable was that this process was done using the computing power of a current-generation iPad. The resulting color 3D model could be processed further (i.e., to create a mesh model) or sent for printing to a local 3D printer or a printing service accessed via the internet. A version of iSense for the iPhone also is available.

You can read the technical specifications for iSense at the following link:

http://cubify.com/products/isense

A similar scanner with greater capabilities is the Structure Sensor from Occipital Labs. The Structure Sensor operates over greater distances than the iSense and appears to be intended to support a greater range applications, including the following:

  • Capture dense 3D models of objects
    • When used as a 3D scanner, Structure Sensor allows you to capture dense geometry in real-time and create high-fidelity 3D models with high-resolution textures.
    • The resulting model can be sent to a printer for manufacturing, or used in connection with a simulation tool to model the real world physics behavior of the object.
    • The Structure Sensor uses the iPad’s color camera to add high-quality color textures to the 3D model captured.
  • Measure entire rooms all at once.
    • 3D depth sensing enables the rapid capture of accurate, dimensions of objects and environments.
    • Structure Sensor captures everything in view, all at once.
    • Software simplifies large-scale reconstruction tasks
  • Unlock the power of real-time occlusion and physics
    • Once objects or whole environments have been captured by Structure Sensor, the resulting model constitutes a virtual environment with specified physical properties. Other virtual objects can interact with this model based on the assigned physical properties (i.e., bounce off surfaces, move under tables or behind structures, etc.)
    • Virtual environments can be rapidly developed and integrated seamlessly with games or simulations

You can find more information on the Structure Sensor at the following link:

http://structure.io

If you are curious about this type of scanning technology, there are several demonstrations available on YouTube. If you are willing to spend 21 minutes to watch a detailed test of the Structure Sensor, I recommend the 9 December 2014, “Tested In-Depth: Structure Sensor 3D Scanner,” by Will and Norm, which you can view at the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnOzzbl0Uqw

Here are a few screen shots from Will & Norm’s scanning demonstration. During the scan, the white areas represent areas that have been successfully scanned.

Structure Sensor scan 1

The complete point cloud model is shown below. This model can be rotated and viewed from any angle.

Structure Sensor scan 2

The rendered model, with colors and textures captured by the iPad’s camera, is shown below.

Structure Sensor scan 3

So, at Uncle Joe’s 90th birthday party, get out your iPad with an iSense or Structure Sensor, capture Uncle Joe in 3D, and print a bust of Uncle Joe to commemorate the occasion. If you’re more ambitious, you can capture the whole room with a Structure Sensor and build a game or simulation into this virtual environment.

Recent reviews posted online indicate that this type of 3D scanning is not yet mature and it may be difficult to get repeatable good results. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see the creative applications of this scanning technology that emerge in the future.