New York Landmarks 3D Scanned

What is happening

Around the world, a vicious virus has spread, causing anxiety and panic. Many countries all of the world have mandatory stay at home orders, and some have even placed full lockdown orders. Though the situation is difficult, some individuals have decided to put on full protective gear and capture the world through photography and now through 3D laser scanning. They have decided it is the perfect time to capture famous places and monuments to share with the world at a time like this.

Who is using 3D laser scanning

Marek Koltun has a background in 3D laser scanning and decided this would be one of the best times to capture a completely empty space using technology.

“It was unimaginable to see the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, Colosseum and other places with virtually no people around them. Photographers captured our local destinations, such as the World Trade Center, Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square and Grand Central Station multiple times in photos only,” Koltun states.

He wanted to take this and turn it into 3D laser scans, ones you could view, and virtually stroll through the empty streets. It is a way to share what it looks like with no people and take photographs to a whole new level.

Where are they using this technology

3D laser scanning is a way to capture every detail of a space without having to touch anything. On top of that, it is one of the best ways for the public to view the outside world without having to leave their homes.

This technology takes thousands of pictures per second, capturing every nook and cranny of an area or an object. It captures every single detail, like scratches, textures of surfaces, dimensions of objects, and colors of the scene or object.

All of the information gets stored in the cloud and then transferred to a partnering system where it can be edited. After that, it can be sent to anyone in the world, developed into virtual reality, or it could be 3D printed from those scans.

How long did it take to scan

Marek Koltun put on heavy protective gear making sure he stayed safe throughout the whole project. He took his 3D laser scanning devices and started around times square. It took two hours to scan 2,000 square feet of the outside area. He then went to the grand central main terminal station and was able to scan the insides of the main building in about twenty minutes.

Though this virus has caused major shutdowns, it is one of the best times to capture what city life looks like without a massive amount of people roaming around.

Final thoughts

There are many adverse outcomes this virus has given us, but it has also given us some positivity. We can capture photographs that are clear, and now we can use 3D laser scanning to give others the chance to view the outside area of how it is right now. This is a chance to scan with no interruptions and save the information for future generations.