Tatjana Dzambazova, Senior Product Manager, Emerging Technologies, recently spoke at Autodesk University South Africa as part of an introductory session:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXoGGsJDndU

Some interesting applications is found for photogrammetric reality capture and 3D printing, often circumventing the costs that might otherwise have to be incurred through crowdfunding and the like.

Ravens are depleting certain tortoise species by catching and eating their young. By printing fake baby tortoises and placing them in their natural habitat, they were able to monitor the behaviour of the ravens. They took the bait. Nest the ravens were given aversion therapy by incorporating pepper spray and pressure sensors in the fake tortoises. This worked a treat! Crowd funding as used for the project and public participation invited for monitoring the tortoise population.

• https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/293542302/tortoises-for-tomorrow-high-tech-helps-an-ancient

Photogrammetry and laser scanning is also now used to capture existing historical buildings both as an historical record, but also to use as a BIM tool to manage and monitor the structure.

The Leakey foundation is using this technology to make their work accessible to anyone in the world:

• http://africanfossils.org/

Shown below is the virtual lab with their fossils on display.

Here two hominid skulls are superimposed in different colours to highlight the differences between them.

The monitoring of Coral reefs is another project worth mentioning.

• https://www.thehydro.us/

This image below is actually derived from photogrammetry!

Here a comparison in time is used to show growth:

Here rare and endangered species are reality captured to preserve their characteristics without killing them.

• http://digitallife3d.org/

A close-up of this cute fella.

Here a variety of techniques were used to investigate and capture in 3d a mummy. The model was then digitally presented to patrons of the museum to experience.

Here some of the jewellery that was non-invasively scanned is reproduced through 3D wax printing and then casting.

The Smithsonian is also looking at cataloguing their mostly non-displayed collections (there is not enough space in the existing museums to showcase them all).

• https://3d.si.edu/

Note how historical photography was used to reverse engineer a reality capture of the massive Buddha statues that were destroyed recently.

Not perfect, but close as can be! Mind Blown!