NURBS Conversions Enhance Usefulness of Rapid 3D Scans in Animation,
Medicine

Monterey, CA -- February 1, 1994 -- Cyberware has announced the
availability of two software packages that convert the company's 3D
scanned images into NURBS surfaces. NURBS (nonuniform rational B-splines)
provides an efficient method for describing complex curved surfaces and is
widely used in applications such as animation. The method also offers
promise for high-end virtual reality work.

By working with NURBS models of scanned objects in modeling programs such
as Alias' Designer, users can more readily make the types of modifications
involved in animating the objects. The ability to make easy conversions to
NURBS will therefore enhance everything from movie special effects to
industrial mechanical animation. Surgeons can also use NURBS models of 3D
scans to plan cosmetic and reconstructive surgery.

Two software packages furnish Cyberware/NURBS conversions: Surfacer 3.0
from Imageware, Inc. (Ann Arbor, MI) and ntest, developed by Phil Dench of
Australia's Curtin University of Technology.

Surfacer is a general-purpose application that includes tools for point
processing, NURBS curve and surface generation, and geometry input/output.
Users can perform filtering and sampling/data reduction of random 3D point
data. Additionally, the program can automatically detect and extract
features in the data. Once users have converted a scan to NURBS, Surfacer
offers a robust modeling environment with tools for editing, trimming,
combining and analyzing complex surfaces.

Ntest provides a more specialized environment for converting Cyberware
scans to NURBS. This package places a NURBS network over a scanned surface
and allows users to define how the surface should fit the digitized data.
In addition to converting the 3D range-map data to NURBS, Ntest can also
produce a texture map (using the data from Cyberware color 3D scanners)
that maps onto the NURBS surface.

Imageware's Surfacer is available for Windows PCs ($8000) and Silicon
Graphics, Sun, Hewlett-Packard and IBM workstations ($15,000). For more
information, contact Imageware at 313-994-7300; fax 313-994-7303. Ntest is
available from Cyberware for $2000.

Cyberware scanners work by shining low-intensity laser light on an object
to create a lighted profile. A high-quality video sensor captures this
profile from two viewpoints. Using an automated motion platform, the
system can digitize thousands of these profiles in a few seconds to
capture the shape of the entire object. Simultaneously, a second video
sensor acquires color information.

Cyberware scanners assist in applications such as artistic product design,
CAD/CAM, special effects for movies, research, reconstructive and cosmetic
surgery, medical appliance design, anthropometry/ergonomics, and personal
portrait sculpture. For 10 years, Cyberware has manufactured the world's
leading 3D scanners.

 ============================================================
 From the  'New Product Information'  Electronic News Service
 ============================================================
 This information was processed from data provided by the
 above mentioned company. For additional details, contact 
 the company at the address or telephone number indicated.
 OmniPage Pro is now used for converting all printed input! 
 ============================================================
 All submissions for this service should be addressed to:
 BAKER ENTERPRISES,  20 Ferro Dr,  Sewell, NJ  08080  U.S.A.
 Email: RBakerPC (AOL/Delphi), rbakerpc@delphi.com (Internet)
 ============================================================
