Microsoft MobileFusion turns any smartphone into 3D scanner

Once a scan is complete, it’s rendered immediately, so users can see if they got the 3D image they desire.

Here’s everything we know about the project so far…

Added Pushmeet Kohli, a principal research scientist with Microsoft Research: “Everything happens on the phone itself”.

What’s the point of MobileFusion?

Have you ever wanted to take a 3D image of something with your phone? All the work is done on the phone and doesn’t require extra hardware or even an internet connection, meaning you could be deep in the woods and still manage to capture a 3D model of like a rock or something using just a regular smartphone without a Wi-Fi connection.

“What this system effectively allows us to do is to take something similar to a picture, but it’s a full 3D object”, explained Peter Ondruska a Ph.D. candidate now studying at Oxford University, and an intern who worked on the project for Microsoft Research.

Several apps have also promised that they can stick two or more 2D pictures of an object into a 3D model.

Called MobileFusion, the application can be installed on virtually any smartphone, and then used to create 3D printable models of any object without the need for any additional hardware.

Yes, there is – and you can watch it above. The results are images detailed enough for a 3D printer, use in a video games or for instant shareable content on social media.

When will MobileFusion launch for everyone to use?

As of right now there aren’t any solid plans about releasing the project to the public, but the researchers say that is the goal, and that they’re working to make it compatible with Android, iOS, and Windows Phone.

Check out Microsoft Research’s blog posts (here and here) for more details.

MobileFusion will be officially unveiled early in October at the global Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality, and could prove to be quite a significant breakthrough in allowing the digitalization of our planet.