Volumetric video is the next big thing in the world of entertainment and advertising, and you must get your fix right away. It can do wonders for your business and can actually help you to make a decent first impression on clients and business partners. Volumetric video capture is a process that allows you to capture a 3D space in a way that it can be easily viewed on all kinds of devices. It is also suitable for VR goggles.
A volumetric video capture booth captures static and dynamic images and then processes them in the right way. This is done through the positioning of powerful cameras in the booth that can capture the 3D subject space through multiple angles. There are many formats that you can explore as well. All of these techniques lean on motion capture, VFX and photogrammetry. The end result is then obtained by using a real time engine that generates volume as well as depth.
Mesh Based 3D Capture Workflow
The static/dynamic images can be captured properly by using a combination of one or two workflows. The first workflow is called the mesh based workflow, which captures data by using a 3D triangle mesh. This technology is similar to that used in the generation of video game GFX. The data volume is low, which means that the end result is not very high quality. The technician has to trade off between performance and quality.
By making use of photogrammetry methods and techniques, the quality of mesh based systems can be improved greatly. The capture of the 3D subject can also be augmented by making use of systems that can generate videogrammetry. The final set of mesh triangles is created after a lot of processing and clean up. CGI can also be used to augment the images/videos that you capture. The static and animated meshes can be combined by using a real time engine.
Point Based 3D Capture Workflow
In recent times, the field of volumetric data capture has shifted from triangle systems to point based systems. Point based workflows make use of a “point cloud”, which is a set of data points that are present in an arbitrary space. Basically, all data in a point based system is collected in the form of points in the XYZ-space, which all carry unique attributes such as colour and size. The resulting output is high quality.
The biggest advantage of such a point based workflow system is the high quality of video and image capture that can be achieved. By using point systems, there is none of the approximation that is present in mesh based systems. Even though the capture system is similar to a mesh, the resulting output is significantly higher quality. All the info stored in the points are very high quality, which basically means that the output can be viewed on all devices.
How Do the Workflows Function?
Here is a simple and short explanation regarding the exact functioning of the workflows that have been talked about in the previous paragraphs. The entire process can be further split up into 4 unique stages.
- Record Step: The first step of this workflow is the record stage, which will allow you to record static or dynamic images by placing the subject in the capture kiosk. HD video is recorded in the volumetric video capture booth.
- Processing Step: The next step of the workflow is the processing step, where the video is processed on a real time engine. The device can be a local device or a cloud device, if you don’t have the computing power.
- Code Generation Step: The next step is code generation, which is done only after the end result has been made successfully. The code is generated and then sent to your device in the form of a link or QR code.
- Download or Share Step: After you scan the QR code, you will be able to view your own 3D video on your web browser. You can also download the video onto your device or generate a link for social media.
This is all you need to know if you want to learn more about how the volumetric capture tech works in real life. It is an exciting technology that has a wide range of diverse applications in entertainment and business.