Apr. 28, 2015 | By Simon
For a large population of kids (many of which were born in the 1970s and 1980s), seeing themselves as a video game character has always been a sort of fun fantasy - and why not? The ability to control your likeness on-screen as a virtual character who can fend off dragons or race supercars sounds like a great time for many. Now, thanks to advancements in 3D capture, creating a high-resolution digital avatar of yourself isn’t as difficult as it used to be, and now a company is hitting the road to help everybody in the USA have the opportunity to step into their camera rig to have their avatar made.
Ella Linnea Wahlestedt high res render
Donovan Leitch high res render
The company, BlueVishnu, was founded by internationally-recognized photographer and director Alexx Henry who has over 15 years of experience with photography and video. Henry, along with his team at BlueVishnu have been busy as of late creating their travelling xxArray 3D Capture Studio - which features over 90+ cameras that capture a human body in high-resolution detail to create 3D avatars for a wide variety of applications ranging from video game design to 3D printing.
“Immortalizing your existence in the virtual world will enhance the way you interact with the physical world in ways we are just now beginning to discover,” says the xxArray team on their Kickstarter page.
“Currently, your avatar can be used for things like video games, virtual reality, 3D printing, and customizable fashion, just to name a few. And these immediate applications are helping to unlock a wide range of possibilities. Imagine your digital avatar being cast in a movie or video game and putting it to work for you.”
Alexx Henry
Although there are other ways of 3D capture in existence, the team believes that having a high resolution capture from their studio is critical for a variety of reasons ranging from detail when 3D printed at high resolutions, the ability to sell your “digital self” for use in entertainment industry projects and preserving your likeness with as much detail and resolution to be viewed later in life or by others, among other reasons.
To achieve the high resolution digital captures, the xxArray team hooks up 90 Nikon D5200 and D5300 cameras, which captures a full three-dimensional 22-gigapixel image in a fraction of a second.
Currently, Henry and his team are trying to raise $100,000 to be able to take their 3D capture studio on the road on a 14-city tour that starts in Chicago, IL and culminates in Los Angeles, CA between the months of September and November of 2015.
“Instead of more traditional forms of funding, we’re taking our project directly to you, those who share in our vision of 3D avatars for all,” says the xxArray team.
“Rather than only being held accountable to a small group of investors, we want to work with you so that together we can build a community of enthusiasts and 3D pioneers with a collective voice loud enough to truly shape the course of our digital future.”
For interested Kickstarter backers, xxArray is offering a wide range of 3D-inspired goods based off of high-resolution scans including multiple 3D printed options starting at $99.
For developers, the company is also offering an option to tap into their API and be able to use a digital avatar in the creation of a video game or other project. Additionally, the company has included an option for those who want to 3D print multiple copies of their own avatars with their own 3D printers and a Creative Commons license.
“Consider for a moment the true impact of what this project can achieve,” adds the company.
“Together, we can take technology which is only available to a select few and put it in the hands of a new generation of digital pioneers. These early explorers will help lead a revolution built around you and your digital self.”
Posted in 3D Scanning
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