Building an Instant Photogrammetry 3D Scanner by Up-cycling Old IPhones.

The goal of this project is to build photogrammetry scanner capable of scanning human size live subjects. Scanners of this type are very expensive and I hope I can achieve best price to quality ratio. Main reason for the cost of these scanners is plurality of cameras required to get good results. Another factor is quality of cameras. As far as I know, there was an attempt to build such scanner using camera modules for Raspberry Pi computers. Cameras I would use have to be better quality than that. Next challenge is controlling shutter settings. I need to have a way to trigger all the cameras in same instance. Than it is question of communication and data acquisition; lighting the subjects avoiding backlight effects; building the frame; and solving numerous other issues that inevitably will need to be solved.

1. Camera modules. I chose to use iPhone 5S. There are simply no other camera devices that could be cheaper than now discontinued from cell service iPhones of this generation. Price depend on quantity.
2. Frame. I've build my main frame from rain down spout plastic gutters. Price $13 for 10 ft. piece.
3. USB lightning cables
4. USB charging stations
5. Power extensions and power bars.
6. 3D printed device holders
7. bolts/nuts/washers
8. White fabric/white table cloth/white cardboard.
9. Light source (diffused and articulated)
10. Laser pointers (cross). I use them to introduce pattern on subject to help software to connect various views.
11. Power supply. For lasers.
12. Supply of Cat5 cables. I strip them and use twisted pairs to power lasers.

In this video I am doing review of hardware setup. AS THIS IS PROJECT IN DEVELOPMENT, there are constant changes to configuration. I have a feeling it is a good start to prove a concept that such scanner is feasible.

Here is my first 3D model generated using my scanner. I've learned a lot from this first attempt! On next video we will be doing updates to the scanner based on this results. Stay tuned.