From range scans to 3D models

Each year, we see a growing number of 3D range scanning products on the SIGGRAPH exhibition floor. You may find yourself asking "how do these technologies work?" and "how can I make use of the shape data they produce?" In this article, I will describe a few of the more common range scanning technologies. Then, I will step through a pipeline that takes the range data into a single geometric model and will conclude with a discussion of the future of range scanning.