Microsoft Research and the University of Oxford are collaborating on a project called MobileFusion that lets you scan high-quality 3D images in real time using a regular smartphone. With the same ease as taking a photo or recording a video with your mobile, MobileFusion scans objects using an algorithm that allows the camera to act as a 3D scanner, capturing multiple images in a way similar to the human eye.
How MobileFusion works
You just walk around an object while MobileFusion creates the 3D model. Although the images obtained are not as detailed as the real object, they are good enough for 3D printing or augmented reality games. It is very similar to Kinect Fusion, but the developers of MobileFusion claim that the system is better than other methods for 3D digitization with a mobile device, since it does not need any additional hardware or an internet connection to work. That means that if, for example, you are in a forest, you can capture the environment using your smartphone without needing a Wi-Fi connection.
Potential uses
With MobileFusion, you could, for example, recreate a monument during an outing and then share it with your friends, or set up an online auction with a 3D representation of what you are selling.
Current status
The only downside is that for now there are no plans to release MobileFusion to the general public, but the developers are working to ensure the system works with all types of mobile devices, including Windows Phone, Android, and iPhone devices.
