In this article we describe how EinScan Pro HD 3D scanner helps create virtual models of products in the online store for remote but convenient evaluation before purchase.
Going to the stores is no longer as enjoyable as it was before the pandemic. Queues at the front door because only a limited number of shoppers are allowed in at any one time, the need to always wear a mask and wash your hands with antiseptics are only part of the results of tightened measures to combat the epidemic, but there is also the social distance.
Online commerce has grown markedly in recent decades, along with the development of the Internet itself and the emergence of big-brand chain stores and major marketplaces, and the pandemic has given new impetus to this development. One of the main disadvantages of online commerce has always been a high percentage of returns, because it is difficult to try on clothes or shoes without physical access to the goods. The result is an additional burden on nerves and logistics.
Today, some apps allow for virtual fitting, thereby helping with the selection of suitable goods and increasing convenience in general. A key tool in this scheme is augmented reality, or AR for short. We followed one professional designer’s transition from photogrammetry to 3D scanning in the process of creating virtual storefronts and would like to share our observations with you.
AR sneakers
The Rockdeep brand offers athletic apparel and footwear – bright, trendy, athletic designs for both sports and everyday wear. The company decided to make online shopping more convenient by introducing augmented reality technologies – 3D-visualization of goods and virtual fitting with the help of a special website and a smartphone.
An experienced 3D artist named Logan Hamilton Davis helped with the implementation of this idea. Logan specializes in computer games, visualizations, and interactive media; previously he created 3D models for Yahoo, DC Comics, various marketing agencies, and game studios. More recently Logan has focused on photogrammetry and interactive product models. Obtaining 3D models using photogrammetry is a time-consuming process, and so Logan set out to find a more efficient solution.
“I tried to use photogrammetry to digitize shoes from Rockdeep, but I wasn’t impressed with the results. With my equipment, there was clearly not enough detail to provide the necessary clarity of the images on the store’s website. The output was “noisy” 3D models with bulges where surfaces should have been smooth, so there was no point in trying to transfer details to models with a reduced number of polygons. In addition, it was time consuming to take all the necessary photographs and process the images with photogrammetry software. While searching for a better solution, I came across the incredible 3D scanners from Shining 3D,” Logan says.
3D scanning: an easy and convenient way to produce clean, colorful, high-quality 3D models
For the online storefront, Logan needed to make digital models of colorful sneakers. To make the process as efficient and convenient as possible, the designer chose the EinScan Pro HD 3D scanner with the Industrial Pack. At the same time he used the Color Pack, which allowed him to capture the sneakers with full color reproduction.
Virtual fitting with 3D scanner and augmented reality
1. Shoe scanning
2. Digitizing.
“I am very impressed with the capabilities of the EinScan Pro HD. The software walked me through the entire process and worked without a hitch. I scanned the entire sneaker using the external tracking method, using the turntable to capture all areas, and then the software stitched the scans together,” Logan says.
3. Data processing
“Eventually the model will be posted on Rockwell’s website so customers can peruse the shoes from all angles. At the same time, it will serve as the basis for a customizable model that can be used to approximate the look with different materials and accelerate the development of new design iterations,” Logan explains.
“The applications (from art to industry) and choice of scanning methods (stationary or manual) are impressive. The industrial and color packages added all the features I needed, and the final cost was within my budget and far more affordable than the competition. The level of detail is stunning, as is the ease of use of the 3D scanner. It just works, and it works phenomenally,” says Logan.
