Autodesk aims to digitise reality with Memento
The technology is able to convert any reality capture input such as photos or scans into 3D in the form of high quality models.
The resulting 3D mesh can be cleaned up, fixed, compared over time and optimised for further digital use, for physical fabrication methods like 3D printing and for 3D interactive experiences on the Web.
Memento can handle massive polygon meshes and no CAD expertise is required.
Beta users will experience Memento first as a cloud-connected desktop app that will initially be available on the Windows platform, followed by a Mac version later in the quarter, followed by interactive 3D publishing on the Web soon after.
Autodesk said it offered possibilities across a variety of industries, including allowing visual effects artists and game designers to use Memento to easily turn physical objects into digital assets that can be used in films and games.
Artists and sculptors could reimagine their existing works, said the company, by making a digital copy of the work to showcase it online or to physically fabricate a new version in a different material or at a different scale.
Museums are also a target market, with Autodesk suggesting they create digital archives of their collections and offer visitors online interactive experiences via the web. This approach has already allowed the Smithsonian in the USA to create an engaging online experience called Smithsonian X 3d
The beta release of Memento is supported by a new website with links to learning material and case studies. It will soon feature a 3D Online Gallery that allows 3D digitised models to be viewed and shared interactively online, as well as FBX export with cameras, view of the photo camera positions in 3D space and more robust photo processing capabilities.