Sophisticated Camera Support

Strata Foto 3D CX provides automatic camera support to deal with lens distortion, focal length and image factors specific to particular camera models. Correcting these factors ensures the highest possible fidelity in model capture.

Automated 3D Space Orientation

A special calibration mat - which can be printed out directly from Strata Foto 3D CX - aids the software in generating 3D model data. This mat allows Foto 3D to calculate where the camera is in 3D space for each image. This orientation information then allows Foto 3D to automatically capture features from the images to build the 3D object.

Feature Pinning - Allows the Use of Any Photo Set

For projects that don't allow for use of the calibration mat Strata Foto 3D CX now provides direct control using a pin user interface. This allows you to specify the surface area details important to a high quality capture. This new feature allows the use of photograph sets from virtually any source - including video frames, aerial photos and any large object that cannot be brought into a studio setting.

Integrate with Adobe Photoshop for Model Creation

Part of the process of generating a model from photographs involves separating the background from the object. Foto 3D provides powerful color-key tools to automate this process. In addition to these powerful tools, Adobe Photoshop is supported directly with a plug-in, allowing you to easily use Photoshop's features to get the job done.

Interactive Model Adjustment

Once the geometry is generated, Strata Foto 3D CX gives you the ability to interactively modify the surface polygon detail ("decimation"). A clipping plane is also provided, allowing you to trim the base of the model to ensure a flat base where desired.

Import Models to Photoshop or Strata 3D CX Suite

Models can be sent as a 3D layer to Photoshop Extended design projects, where the 3D object can be painted on, rotated, lighting adjusted, and more. Models can also be imported into Strata Design 3D CX and Strata Live 3D CX to continue your creative journey to wherever you desire.

Vizworld

"It's a bargain... Users who find themselves frequently needing to scan 3D models will find Foto3D CX an invaluable tool for it's power, flexibility, and excellent price point."

IT Enquirer

"...Strata Foto 3D CX is a lot faster than creating a 3D model from scratch in Cinema 4D, Vue, or Maya. For example, if you are on a deadline for an advertising project or an illustration with a story that will be published both in print and online, Strata Foto 3D CX may cut your project time in half - if not more."

Layers Magazine, Four and a Half Stars

"Strata Foto 3D makes it possible to take nearly any object and make a 3D model with just a little set-up time and a digital camera."

Mac NN

Strata Foto 3D "...is an efficient photo-based system for modeling real world objects that allows users to create 3D models with no technical skill or expensive hardware."

Gamasutra

Strata Foto 3D creates "...high quality, fully textured 3D meshes."

GFX Artist

On Foto 3D, "Picture how many hours this could save you. We did and now we're believers... Overall, for the majority of 3D artists, we feel this will be a must have application."

CASE STUDY: Museum Captures the Past

Project: Capture museum relics in 3D
Objective: Create a virtual museum for the web
Developer: Lars Goran Spang/Murberget Museum.

Project Summary

Swedish museum Murberget has an extensive collection of artifacts - so many in fact that it cannot display them all within the confines of its physical building. Head of Research for Murberget, Lars Goran Spang, thought what they needed was a way to make the museum "virtual" - after all, there's no limit to the room available on the web.

The Challenge

The question that Lars faced was how to create this virtual museum in a way that brought the real sense of history to these objects. He felt photographs alone wouldn't do.

The Solution

Foto 3D allows the easy capture of real world objects using a simple digital camera. When Lars found out about this unique technology from developer Creative Dimension Software he knew he had his solution.

The Approach

"The web visitors will have access to our databases and direct links to other databases, with an interface as simple as possible..." Lars explained. These 3D models "...will be used in our virtual museum, where a new item is presented in 3D each month. The modeling of artifacts can in some cases be done in half an hour, which is important if modeling is to be a regular routine."

Lars was able to set up a small studio area in which to photograph the museum artifacts. A simple turntable with the printed Foto 3D orientation template was created. Additional lighting was added to properly illuminate the object.

Finished photographs are then downloaded to a PC and fed into the software to build the 3D models. A combination of both photographs and 3D models are used for the website. 3D models are displayed using a Java based player technology similar to Strata Live 3D.

The Results

The results speak for themselves. All of the images below are actual screen captures of the Murberget virtual museum. Click on any image for a pop-up window displaying the model. And if you speak Swedish you might even learn something from the accompanying text!

Bruce Hardwoods® Cleans-Up with Foto 3D

Design Firm: Packaging Corporation of America®
3D Designer: Brad Bible
Client: Armstrong World Industries®

Project Summary

Packaging Corporation of America was approached by long time client Armstrong World Industries to help them launch a new product. Armstrong had a prototype for their new Bruce Hardwood spray-on cleaner product but they needed a design for a shipping box that doubled as a shelf display and as a mini pallet display.

The Challenge

In recalling the project, Armstrong stated "The challenge was to develop a tray that would support our product not only on a shelf, but also in a mini pallet configuration, clearly communicate the brand and reinforce the look and feel of the product packaging. The deliverable we needed initially was a rendering that would illustrate the concept in a real setting."

Designer Brad Bible knew he could achieve what the client was looking for in 3D. However, with a spray bottle prototype in hand and no 3D models Brad had a challenge that needed to be solved. Going from a physical model to a virtual model has been a significant challenge in the past. Often this meant hours of 3D modeling work that sometimes failed to capture enough detail of the real-world object.

The Solution

Brad realized that this project was a perfect fit for Strata Foto 3D and Strata 3D CX. Using a standard digital camera, Brad took a series of photographs of the prototype bottle which he then took into Foto 3D for conversion into a 3D model. Once the model was done Brad imported it into Strata 3D CX.

With the bottle in Strata 3D CX, the next step was to put Armstrong's latest labels on the bottle. Brad prepared the labels in Adobe Photoshop and linked them to the bottle model in Strata 3D CX. The bottle was then replicated into rows to emulate the shipping configuration. With this starting point the display box was ready to be designed.

The Box Design Process

The design process is best described in Brad's own words:

"I always like building everything from the 'ground up' in Strata because of the flexibility that I find it allows. For this client in particular, they usually give us a starting point of either the number of bottles X by Y or a floor size limitation that we have to take into consideration. I have to keep that in consideration as well as board caliper and any inserts that will be required for support/stability for shipment."

Armstrong requested specific design elements be included in the display box. "The customer communicated the desire to see a tray with curved sides. The curve would carry through the curve on the product label."

To implement the clients ideas and to explore his own, Brad enjoys the friendly interface of the Strata:

"The great thing about using Strata for this step is that I am 'conceptualizing' a little as I build, easily tweaking or adjusting as I go and adding textures from Photoshop or Illustrator."

And that Adobe connection is a critical factor in Brad's decision to use the Strata tools:

"One of the key things that I find so helpful with Strata is that it is so flexible when it comes to the line of Adobe products. When I start on a project, I like to start with Strata 3D and build as I go adding textures on the fly. I love the flexibility that CX allows for layers and importing complicated shapes from Illustrator."

Once Brad had designs that he felt were ready to show to the client he rendered final output quality images to place into secure PDFs for email.

The Results

Armstrong was very happy with the results:

"We were extremely pleased. The tray was consistent with the label design on the product. The rendering was fabulous. It looked like a photo had been taken of an actual mini pallet." The bottom line? "The tray, and the mini pallet rendering were well received by our customers." All done in the virtual world - saving time, money and resources for the design firm, the client and even the retail channel. With Strata tools there's no need to go physical until production is a go.