There was a time when generating a 3D map of our surroundings was almost prohibitive. However, the arrival of the Microsoft Kinect opened the door to hundreds of projects, and since then DIY enthusiasts haven't stopped. One of them is Frank Zhao, who decided to go portable by combining a Raspberry Pi 4 with an Intel RealSense D415 camera and a 3D-printed case. He also prepared the software and simplified the installation process.
Beyond its natural limitations and availability issues in some regions, no one can deny that the Raspberry Pi revolutionized the DIY space. Many ideas that previously required dedicated hardware now come to fruition with one of these mini computers in the equation, and the increase in performance with each new generation multiplies its potential. In fact, the appearance of the Raspberry Pi 4 was fundamental to Frank Zhao's plans.
The Hardware
After exploring the virtues of photogrammetry, Frank decided to advance with the possibility of creating a portable solution to scan environments in 3D. In essence, the use of a more robust SoC and the availability of two USB 3.0 ports give him enough power to process the signals from an Intel RealSense D415 depth camera, which combines stereoscopic infrared cameras, an RGB camera, and an internal processor.
The Software
The software part is handled by RTAB-Map (installed on Raspbian Buster), which is generally used in robotics applications so that the robot can perform SLAM (Simultaneous Location And Mapping), creating a 3D map of its environment and locating itself within it. Frank explains that with RTAB-Map intervention, the user can place a point cloud of an object in 3D space thanks to the depth camera, and track both its coordinates and orientation in 3D.
https://old.neoteo.com/retropie-guia-de-instalacion/Getting Started
The best part? There is no need to solder or hack anything, beyond 3D printing a case to house all the devices. Software installation is quite complex if someone decides to start from scratch, but Frank shared a script on GitHub that aims to drastically simplify the process, as long as we stick to his basic requirements (i.e., an RPi 4 with Raspbian Buster). Do you have a Raspberry Pi 4 and some euros to invest in this project? Give it a try!
Official site: Click here. Source: Hackaday
