David 3D Scanning High Contract Suggestions - HDR and Turntable feature request from HP

[theswordsmith]

Challenge:  Not all 3D objects to be scanned can easily be covered in white powder such as optical equipment, museum pieces, artwork, and live still objects.

Current Technique for High Contrast: (community suggestions welcome)

If a 3D object to scan contains strong white and black or high contrast areas, I'm having to scan all angles at 1/60s f/8 exposure at full projector brightness and then repeat the scan at all angles again, increasing the exposure by 2 or 3 stops to 1/15s to pick-up some of the dark areas.  The problem is that if there are far less white or dark areas on the object being scanned, those individual scans will not auto-combine during post processing.  For example, think of a large white object that has small dark lettering, very difficult to line those up as separate scans.

If others have a better technique, please share.

HDR feature Request from HP (David Developers)

Please strongly consider adding an HDR scan feature, that will scan the unmoved object twice with lower projector brightness and then higher brightness or lower exposure and longer exposure and then merge both 3D scans before adding the combined 3D shape to the fusion list.  Yes, the scans will take twice as long, however it would be 1000%  more useful if a black and white object can be scanned in one multi-exposure scan under the assumption that it has not moved.

Auto brightness Detect (another feature request)

Allow users to pre-scan an object and the David HP software will automatically vary the exposure and LCD projector brightness for a very fast coarse scan to find the 'Optimal" brightness and exposure setting that detects the most surface area without clipping the whites.  (You could even create a 3D histogram and allow user to select if they want dark, white, or reflective object optimization)  Furthermore, If it detects a a black, white, or reflective object,  two or more optimized exposures will be preloaded into the HDR feature, giving the user a way to scan the most of the object in one HDR scan click.  To avoid background, only the closest object to the cameras will be used for brightness optimization.

HP Hardware Support Request for re-adding User Turntable Option

While we are at it, please bring back the ability for the user to supply their own USB/Serial port-based turntable.  The old David SLS software supported this feature before acquisition and removal by HP.  Considering no HP Automated Turntables are available for sale anywhere in the world, users have ZERO options for implementing a turn-table.  It kind of feels like HP is leaving these 3D scanning users in the dark with no options.   Additionally, those users wishing to implement a 1m diameter scanning turntable for large objects cannot do so, limiting automated rotation options.

Thanks.

-Random engineer who was scanned by the first beta David Vision 3D scanner on the set of Poseidon in 2006