Raindrop Announces Geomagic Studio 4, Most Significant 3D Photography Release

New feature set, increased speed delivers first complete solution
for rapidly turning physical objects into multi-purpose digital models

LOS ANGELES, August 14, 2001 -- Geomagic announces Geomagic Studio 4, the most significant release of the company's 3D photography software since its inception.

Geomagic Studio 4 includes major features for registering and processing multiple scans and color data; automatic color, texture and bump mapping; boolean polygon editing; and new macros that simplify sequential tasks. The new software provides multi-threaded operations and wrapping algorithms that are 10 times faster than previous methods. Geomagic Studio 4 is scheduled for release in October. The new features are being showcased at SIGGRAPH 2001 in booth #833.

“For the first time, a single software package provides a complete solution that rapidly turns a physical part into an accurate 3D digital model for customized manufacturing and computer graphics applications,” says Ping Fu, president and CEO of Geomagic. “It can all be done within Geomagic Studio 4 – registering original scans, creating 3D texture and bump maps, and constructing a NURBS surface for export to a manufacturing device or CAD/CAM software. Add the Geomagic Qualify module, and the automated process is extended to rapid inspection.”

Points to Polygons to NURBS

The Geomagic Studio 4 suite now includes Geomagic Capture, software introduced in June that simplifies processing of any kind of point data from 3D cameras, digitizers and coordinate measurement machines (CMMs). The availability of Geomagic Capture in the new suite provides a direct link between line-of-sight scanners and Geomagic Studio. It also satisfies the number-one request from Geomagic customers – access to multi-threaded operations for handling very large datasets.

All of the new Geomagic Capture functionality – including global and partial registration, support of native scanning data formats, multi-threaded operations, automatic small-hole filling, and fast wrap triangulation – is now part of Geomagic Studio 4.

Automatic Color, Texture, Bumps

New media support is now included by default in Geomagic Studio 4. If input data includes color information (x,y,z,r,g,b), true 3D color and bump maps are created to generate fully textured 3D models with all the visual attributes of the original part or object. Texture mapping is captured and processed on the fly, eliminating time-consuming post-processing that is common in computer graphics.

The Power of Booleans

Geomagic Studio now provides boolean operations for both solid and open-surface polygon models. A CAD part can be imported into Geomagic Studio 4 and merged with the scanned polygonal model, quickly producing a ready-to-prototype part with all of the mathematical accuracy of the CAD part.

Macros for Novices

Geomagic Studio 4 allows users to create their own macros for performing different functions in sequence. The interface for the new macro program works like a tape recorder, allowing novice users to automate regularly performed tasks without programming.

Other new features within Geomagic Studio 4 include:

• smoother NURBS surfaces
• improved automatic patch layouts
• text engraving onto polygon models
• improved curvature hole filling for large and complex holes
• best-fit geometric primitives such as circles and cylinders
• interactive polygon editing
• improved mesh optimization

  “Our ultimate goal is to make 3D photography – the process of transforming a physical object into a 3D digital model – as easy as 2D digital photography,” says Fu. “Geomagic Studio 4 represents a huge step in that direction by integrating all the necessary functionality into one automated, easy-to-use application.”

  Geomagic Studio 4 technology is already being used to enable mass customization of consumer medical devices, including individualized hearing aids, orthodontic devices and tooth implants. Other prominent applications include reverse engineering, rapid manufacturing, virtual museums, and web commerce with interactive 3D product representations.

  Geomagic develops 3D photography software that enables mass customization. Since 1996, Geomagic has provided the best tools for creating polygon models and NURBS surfaces from scanned point clouds. Manufacturers worldwide – including Toyota, Harley-Davidson, Align and many others – turn to Geomagic as their technology partner for mass customization and quality assurance.

  Media contacts: Bob Cramblitt, Jill Aitoro Cramblitt & Company Email: cramco@cramco.com Phone: 919-481-4599