MELLANIUM Scans The Horizon And Sees A Bright Future

Author: Joe Rigby 

Market Manager & Owner at MellaniuM Inc Kitchener, Canada Area

He has introduced a unique method of importing 3D Studio Max and AUTOCAD models into the UNREAL TOURNAMENT 2004 multi-participant platform. His paper has also been accepted at the VSMM 2008 in Limassol,Cyprus.

MellaniuM can announce that they have chalked up another technological first in the virtual world arena. During the conference proceedings of VSSM 2008 Marco St.Pierre , HANDYSCAN 3D Director at CREAFORM3D http://www.creaform3d.com/ who markets hand held scanners for generating 3D models met with Ken Rigby of MellaniuM (www.mellanium.co.uk) who are producing virtual realistic environments in the UNREAL platform. The UNREAL platform has some unique attributes for developing environments with per-pixel shading, lighting and particle effects. He enquired about the potential for importing scanned museum assets into the environments generated in the UNREAL platform by the MellaniuM application. We obviously saw a huge potential for any collaboration that could yield virtual environments festooned with realistic replicas of entire famous museum collections from around the world. Within the week we received from CREAFORM3D a Chinese mask model reminiscent of an Easter Island profile with a floral, jade green texture overlay and a bird themed headpiece.

The 3D model itself was a relatively high polygon sample which was intended to test the MellaniuM application to some extent. However the final model was successfully imported into UNREAL and looks identical to the as scanned actual mask.

3D MODEL AS SCANNED BY THE VIUSCAN FROM CREAFORM3D AND IMPORTED INTO THE UNREAL PLATFORM

ACTUAL MASK BEING SCANNED BY THE VIUSCAN HAND HELD SCANNER

The VIUSCAN hand-held device is capable of scanning objects as big as a car and has been used successfully to reproduce a digital copy of a fountain (in the order of 6-7 metres high). The possibilities are enormous with respect to recreating archaeological reconstructions which we are positing in our new business concept dotVidi.com.

It is entirely possible at this present moment to import 3D interpretations of the ancient buildings of, lets say for example, ancient Athens or Rome into an interactive, multi-user domain. However, more importantly, an impressive, immersive experience of the décor can now be reproduced by importing the digital representations of the furniture, statues and fountains. The assets required to realize this dream actually exist on digital storage devices all over the globe we only need the collective will and enthusiasm to develop the vision into an astounding, virtual ancient panoply for all to experience together over the Internet.