Imaging device manufacturer Revopoint 3D Technologies has raised over £1.5 million to support the launch of its upcoming POP 2 3D scanner.
Built around the principles of binocular and micro-structured light, and boosted by the firm’s proprietary micro-projecting chip, the POP 2 is capable of acquiring 3D point cloud data with high precision, and achieving a peak single-frame accuracy of 0.1mm.
Given that its latest scanner is also built with affordability in mind, the firm is therefore marketing the device as a ‘professional quality product at a consumer-grade price.’ Expected to ship in February 2022, the system is now available for backing on Kickstarter from £317, where it has already garnered enough interest to smash its initial £7,500 target.
“If you’re a gadget and high-tech enthusiast in general, Revopoint’s latest 3D scanner is definitely for you,” reads Revopoint 3D’s Kickstarter page. “If you’re an active 3D printing creator, a VR/AR model maker, or if your creative work involves using reverse design, then this multi-functional 3D scanner will make a world of difference in your creations.”
‘Light chip’ scanning technology
Established by a group of researchers from MIT and Kent University in 2014, Revopoint is a company dedicated to the R&D of 3D scanners and cameras for modeling, machine vision and face recognition applications. To bring these products to market in the US and the rest of the world, the firm set up its 3D Technologies division in 2019, which continues to develop and produce devices for international clientele.
At present, Revopoint 3D’s product lineup consists of its Surface HD and Acusense 3D cameras, in addition to its POP and Tanso 3D scanners. Each of these devices is powered by the business’ proprietary optical microstructured light chip and coding algorithm, making it possible to produce low-cost, highly-accurate consumer imaging systems.
Using its light chip-powered 1.3-megapixel Tanso, for instance, the firm says it is possible to capture 3D models with “vivid colors and fine details,” while the POP, which launched on Kickstarter in 2020 with great success, features an 8 fps scanning speed and improved anti-glare technology that allows it to “generate vibrant models for 3D printing.”
Introducing an upgraded POP
According to Revopoint 3D, scanners are often built to cater for the highly-specialized needs of users in certain industries, making them “unaffordable and unsuitable for the consumer market.” That’s why the company has launched the POP 2, which is packed with precision, operation and color customization upgrades on its predecessor, while maintaining a price tag that’s accessible to most designer adopters.
In essence, Revopoint 3D’s latest device operates using its binocular and micro-structured light technology, which enables the system to rapidly acquire point cloud data and reach a single-frame accuracy of 0.1mm. The POP 2 also packs high-precision and texture modes, capable of producing vivid models for color 3D printing and scanning without stalling, even when using ordinary computers.
Compared to the original POP, meanwhile, the firm’s new device has an improved projector and higher resolution IR cameras, as well as an upgraded calibration system. As a result, Revopoint says the unit is able to achieve “professional-grade precision,” with a 3D point cloud accuracy that allows it to capture detailed objects at greater levels of fidelity.
Weighing in at just 195 grams, the POP 2 is lightweight and portable too, plus its combined handheld and turntable compatibility makes it easy to set up and deploy without having to invest in other equipment. Finally, once users have captured their target object, they can then use ordinary design software like Unity or Tinkercad to perfect their model, before easily tweaking or 3D printing it as desired.
Putting the POP 2 into practise
Ahead of the POP 2’s launch, Revopoint has also provided a breakdown of how it can be used within both reverse engineering and complex scanning applications via its dedicated forum. In the case of the former, one of its regular contributors ‘ZoltanTheZ’ has demonstrated how the new device’s High Accuracy Scan mode can be leveraged to model and verify the accuracy of a mechanical enclosure.
In practise, Zoltan found they were able to “achieve good results” despite the part’s slight reflectivity, creating a full CAD model within a matter of minutes, and in terms of precision, the engineer discovered that the POP 2 was able to capture a small ‘lip’ around the top of the device, thus they concluded it to have the accuracy needed “to capture a mechanical part at a high level of detail and quality.”
In another forum post, Revopoint’s resident scanner tester used the POP 2 to 3D model a full skeletal replica as well. During the process, Zoltan found the device’s turntable to be “ideal” for the application, and given the skeleton’s cavities that made scanning and meshing it very difficult, they described themselves as “blown away” by the results.
Compared to a similar scan conducted with the POP, the engineer said their point cloud was “more than twice as dense,” capturing considerably more detail around the model’s teeth and skull cracks and achieving an “excellent mesh topography,” thus the test showcased how the POP 2’s High Accuracy mode can take model accuracy to “a higher level.”
Technical specifications and pricing
Below are the technical specifications for the Revopoint POP 2 3D scanner. The base model, complete with tripod, phone holder and quick setup kit is priced at £317, while upgraded versions including case, turntable and power bank are available for up to £453. Having now entered mass production of these devices, Revopoint 3D has committed to begin shipping them in February 2022.
| Light Source | Class 1 IR Laser |
| Working Distance | 150-400mm |
| Point Distance | Up to 0.15mm |
| Single Capture Range | 210 x 130mm |
| Single Capture Accuracy | Up to 0.1mm |
| Min. Scan Volume | 20 x 20 x 20mm |
| Output Formats | PLY, OBJ, STL |
| Dimensions | 154.6 x 38.2 x 25.6mm |
| Weight | 195g |
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Featured image shows Revopoint 3D’s POP 2 3D scanner. Image via Revopoint 3D.
