surface scanner that captures rgb, bump and specular maps in-register

[roblawrence]

At my work we have a high resolution (up to 1,000ppi) scanner that simultaneously captures color, texture map and specular (gloss) map and can export a tiff image of each layer perfectly in register. It's meant for surface's as opposed to objects, and most of the work we are doing is for decorative surface manufacturers (to do designs based on reproducing products based on natural materials) but I think it could be an awesome service for the cgi world.

Where in this cgi forum community should I be sharing our work and or info about how to test the system?

Rob

[RyderSK]

Is it a proprietary technology of yours ? Something you developed ? Or is it based on some existing system on market. I am building an expanded photometric stereo system myself, more akin to Megascan, but you write some impressive number so I guess this is something else.

 

Sorry, no idea where this fits, I guess choose any category (General, Hardware or off-topic). But please post more, this is exciting times for capturing technology, with stereo systems to BRDF stuff from ChaosGroup.

[roblawrence]

Thank you RyderSK! I'm so please to hear this piques your interest and appears to align with work you are doing currently. I think I'll take your suggestion and post in the hardware and software sections. We have a Metis scanner (Italian) which is a very high quality flatbed scanner. The basic elements are its CCD sensor behind a top-end Schneider lens which sweeps across a scanning table and gathers RGB data. The image is lit by a bank of temperature controlled led lights each at a different angle) which allows the ccd sensor to capture shadow detail for each angle in each of the color channels (r,g & b.) All of that data is then stored in a single .mdc file, a Metis proprietary format. The software has the ability to recall each color channel & light angle (and variable intensity of each) to view on a monitor, then to output, color, texture and specular maps perfectly in-register to one another.

I'd like to show you the software the scanner uses and even scan a surface for you to show you the results. Or I can send you a sample file or two.

It's pretty amazing how it all works together (camera, lights & software) to make this possible. The original intended and primary application for this tech has been in the capture of cultural heritage documents (paintings, maps/charts, antiquities...) which requires an ability to isolate color, texture and glossiness in order to accurately preserve and communicate these images digitally without physically altering the surface.