Google has an exclusive license from Standford University to use technology that automatically creates 3D models. No details, but I wonder if it involves taking photographs of buildings and then assembling them into 3D faces -- in which case this technology is not new.
There is a 1996 paper entitled "A volumetric method for building complex models from range images" written by Standford, which provides this clue:
Working with one range image at a time, we first scan-convert it to a distance function, then combine this with the data already acquired using a simple additive scheme.... We generate the final manifold by extracting an isosurface from the volumetric grid. We show that under certain assumptions, this isosurface is optimal in the least squares sense. To fill gaps in the model, we tessellate over the boundaries between regions seen to be empty and regions never observed.
Using this method, we are able to integrate a large number of range images (as many as 70) yielding seamless, high-detail models of up to 2.6 million triangles.
This could be a downer for Sweets, which was wanting to provide the largest collection of 3D building models that are hosted in Google Warehouse.
When did they get the exclusive deal? If it was 1-2 years ago, they might be using it in the SketchUp Photo Match feature that allows you to create 3D geometry by tracing over a photo. If it is recent, then we'll have to look for a new product or the next release.
Posted by: Kelly | May 22, 2007 at 09:28 PM
The paper you quoted is not relevant. The range data in the paper already have 3D information (millions of 3D points). The paper talks about creating surfaces (isosurfaces) from the 3D point cloud.
Posted by: | May 22, 2007 at 11:41 PM
design in mechanical brench
Posted by: boris sudakov | May 23, 2007 at 11:33 AM
This is not "new technology". Check out Eos Systems at www.photomodeler.com. They have been selling photo-to-3D software for years. I saw a demo recently; most impressive. Users include architects, mechanical designers, NASA, and the fascinating one: police departments use it for accident and crime scene reconstructions.
Posted by: Bill Fane | May 27, 2007 at 09:26 AM
I saw a demo a couple of months ago from the folks at Industrial Light and Magic that was able to create a 3D Model simply from photographs. They showed how they had created a complete 3D model of a cliff face for one of the movies they were working on. You are correct, this is nothing really new.
Posted by: Daniel | Jun 04, 2007 at 12:56 PM
Generating 3D from Photos was exhibited at Siggraph in 1996! this is definitly not new.
Posted by: anonymous | Jun 05, 2007 at 01:59 PM
As far as I know, nobody has found a fully automatic way to produce quality 3D building models. The best semi-automatic solution may been the photo modeling tool in Sketch-Up. If they do have something more automated, it would be news.
The Sweets deal is not about modeling whole buildings -- just building products like windows and light fixtures!
Posted by: Donald Newlands | Jun 07, 2007 at 11:39 PM
Yup that's true and I hope that they can do a program that can build an automatic 3d model.
Posted by: Bygningsentreprise | Oct 16, 2009 at 01:15 AM