The PCL-Ocular Robotics code sprint has concluded. For this event I participated as the code sprint developer and worked with engineers at Ocular Robotcs to develop a lidar grabber interface to the RE0x laser scanners for the Point Cloud Library.  This was my second time participating in a PCL code sprint; last year I worked on a code sprint to develop point cloud streaming mobile apps. The goals of the PCL-Ocular Robotics code sprint were to develop a point cloud grabber using the pcl::Grabber interface and to develop visualization code to support real-time visualization of lidar point cloud data acquired by the RobotEye laser scanner. Read More

TerraEchos, a next-generation big data and analytics company, will unveil a new framework, TrueStream H3D, for integrating big data analytics with the zSpace 3D holographic platform produced by zSpace, Inc., a technology provider that is transforming the future of human-computer interaction, today announced. TerraEchos will demonstrate this new level of interactivity at zSpace developer conference zCon on April 22-23 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA.

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A prototype of a new glasses-free 3D television system from Dolby 3D impressed industry analysts at the National Association of Broadcasters show last week in Las Vegas. The partnership of Dolby Labs and Royal Philips Electronics has enlisted director James Cameron and others in an effort to rescue 3D TV from flagging consumer interest.  The success of Cameron's blockbuster film Avatar launched a wave of 3D movies, closely followed by 3D TVs for home use. Read More

Donya Labs has released Simplygon 5.0, which incorporates a number of new features that further automate the optimization process for digital assets. Simplygon has been developed to automate polygon decimation and 3D optimization, and streamline the production pipeline for video games, digital media and visual effects where 3D assets are used. The middleware further optimizes 3D assets as they are brought together in the final product, whether it’s a video game, digital video, or other media using 3D graphics content. Read More

Matterform Inc. isn't exactly a household name in the electronics industry, just yet. But this Toronto-based startup has drawn wide attention online. Its crowd-funding project on went sailing past its modest $81,000 goal, to garner over $370,000 (with 12 days still to go until the deadline.) The product? A slick little 3D scanner called the Photon. It's plastic, it's portable. It's cheap: early units will go to Indiegogo supporters for a contribution of just $449. Read More

PointSense Heritage is suitable for the documentation of historical monuments in conservation, historic building research and the recording of complex three-dimensional excavations in archaeology. Significant and detailed aerial mosaics can be generated or 3D models can be derived from laser scan data and photos. PointSense Heritage provides functions for typical documentation of preservation monuments and for archaeological excavations (aerial mosaics, foundations, sections, 3D models, etc.) Data can be generated from laser scans and, where applicable, from photos. This combination of laser scanning and photogrammetry in AutoCAD offers flexibility of application and allows for a high resolution, as well as accurate result. Read More

Grayhill, Inc. announces the release of the latest version of its ground-breaking Instinct Gesture Recognition Library. Instinct is an innovative software tool that converts multi-touch sensor data into gestures, giving any device functionality similar to the iPhone®. The new Instinct 2.0 version now provides capability for 3D image control, among other new features, and is ideally suited for use with control panels on a variety of equipment.

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GenerativeComponents enables architects and engineers to pursue designs and achieve results that were virtually unthinkable before. Empowered by computational methods, designers can direct their creativity to deliver inspired sustainable buildings that are freer in form and use innovative materials and assemblies. GenerativeComponents facilitates this by allowing the quick exploration of a broad range of “what-if” alternatives for even the most complex buildings.

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IDRISI Selva uniquely combines image processing tools with GIS analysis, saving you effort, costs and resources. It also includes the innovative applications Land Change Modeler for land change analysis and Earth Trends Modeler for monitoring earth system trends. Read More

3D Systems announced the immediate availability of Geomagic(R) Design, a new suite of affordable CAD design solutions. Geomagic Design delivers comprehensive and robust mechanical CAD design tools, allowing ideas to go from concept to manufacturing and production for professional engineers, makers, students, consumers and hobbyists. Leveraging 3D Systems' combined Alibre(R) and Geomagic platform, Geomagic Design is now also available as part of a series of software packages that include Geomagic Freeform(R) products. Read More

The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), announced today that the government will invest $798,906 through the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) in a research project that will capture the treasure trove of information that exists in the shallow waters off Nova Scotia's coastline - known as the "white ribbon gap" due to the challenges of mapping this area. "The possibilities are as vast as the waters we will be charting," says NSCC research scientist and doctor of earth sciences Tim Webster. "Our team will be able to map seabed topography by air, unearthing a wealth of data to support initiatives in areas including sustainable harvesting practices, aquatic vegetation health, wave predictions to better define storm surge detail, and nautical hazards plotting." Read More

The subscription web-based service – accessed via computer, tablet or smartphone – is a user-friendly, real-time visualization and communications tool that allows users to access job site status and create new or update job site parameters, and view movement of machines on the job. Primary features and benefits of Sitelink3D include file transfers, messaging, machine tracking, remote support and training, real-time cut/fill mapping and acquiring and storing real-time survey data. Richard Jackson, vice president of machine control applications, said, “While Sitelink3D is a complete site communications systems providing data control, machine tracking and a reporting system in one solution, Sitelink3D.net gives complete site management power in real time and provides remote information access to and from any piece of enabled equipment regardless of location. Read More

Topcon Positioning Group announces Enterprise3D, a construction and engineering management tool that facilitates complete job site planning, scheduling and reporting anywhere in the world via Topcon’s newly announced Sitelink3D.net web portal. Enterprise3D adds a new suite of easy-to-use business management tools that build upon the company’s Sitelink3D communications and site management system. Kris Maas, manager for 3D machine control product marketing, said, “Topcon’s Enterprise3D opens up a whole new world of site management possibilities.

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SmartBIM is pleased to announce the release of the new SmartBIM Library which significantly improves the BIM content discovery process.  Filled with more than 45,000 manufacturer-specific objects, environmentally annotated content to support sustainability initiatives, and generic BIM objects, the SmartBIM library allows users to easily search, compare, download and share BIM content.  Never has it been easier to find and collaborate on the right BIM content.

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Golden Software, Inc. announces the release of Strater 4, a powerful, user-friendly well log, borehole and cross section plotting software package for geoscientists. Strater 4 enables users to quickly create professional well logs, cross sections and location maps from interval, depth, and other borehole data.  The most highly-anticipated new features in Strater 4 are the abilities to display deviated logs in a cross section, display deviation paths on a map, and to create cross sections using line logs. Showing deviated logs and deviation paths are helpful with so many boreholes currently being deviated and horizontal. Strater can now create a more accurate representation of the data. Creating cross sections from line logs opens up the possibilities to many geoscientists who only have geophysical data (i.e. LAS files) and top or bottom layer picks. 

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