Epic Games, the software development company behind Unreal Engine, announced its RealityScan solution on Monday, a smartphone application that transforms 2D photographs into 3D digital twins.
Epic Games unveiled the application through its Capturing Reality subdivision, a firm it acquired in March last year that became its branch in Slovakia.
In a statement, Capturing Reality added,
“As more creators and hobbyists embrace 3D photogrammetry, we want to make our technology even more accessible, so anyone can bring ultra-detailed, digital models of real-world objects into their virtual projects”
Epic Games released RealityScan as a limited beta app for iOS users, which has now reached full capacity. The Cary, North Carolina-based company will release the full iOS version in Spring and Android version by the end of the year.
Using RealityScan
RealityScan puts photogrammetric scanning technology directly into the hands of users. Typically, designers make digital twins by using powerful photogrammetric capture hardware.
Applications such as RealityScan aim to simplify the capture process used to create digital twins, with users taking 20 photos from various angles to capture a precise level of detail or record a short video.
The application allows digital designers to scan stationary real-world subjects and place them into a digital environment for augmented, virtual, and mixed reality (AR/VR/MR) experiences.
When ready, RealityScan users upload their scans to Sketchfab, where they can monetise 3D assets for other users’ creative projects and personal creations.
Scanning subjects and uploading them to Sketchfab reduces production times by decreasing the number of steps required in manually creating real time-3D (RT3D) assets.
Additionally, the solution is now part of the Epic Games umbrella of applications, including Unreal Engine and Sketchfab, which the former bought in 2021.
Digital Twin Technology
The news comes after US tech firm NVIDIA launched Instant NeRF, an artificial intelligence (AI) powered platform that turns 2D images into RT3D digital twins.
The technology recreates subjects as high-fidelity digital twins with real-world details, lighting, and shadows. Also, the service enables digital creatives to recreate entire buildings or real-world locations.
Furthermore, Matterport debuted an Android version of its digital twin photogrammetric solution that scans building interiors with a high degree of accuracy.
Matterport’s RT3D digital twin technology was previously only available through its expensive photogrammetric capture hardware, but the Android app has democratised scanning tech as mobile users no longer require costly hardware to capture environments.
