A new Italian tech company is on a mission to make photo-realistic 3D virtual assets at scale.
Called Covision Lab, the artificial intelligence-based tech company has developed a 3D scanner that converts any physical object into its 3D digital twin. Launched in 2020, the company has focused on the footwear and accessories industry, working with top clients like Adidas, Gore-Tex and Geox to automatically generate tens of thousands of 3D models per year.
According to CEO Franz Tschimben, the company’s 3D scanners use 29 different cameras in a completely blacked-out room to capture a full 360-degree model of the product using structured light patterns. The process takes about 20 minutes to complete, and once the asset is created it can be used for augmented and virtual reality purposes, virtual try-on applications, NFT creations, 2D virtual product photography, animations and 3D e-commerce.
“We measure the object to a 0.05-square-millimeter resolution thanks to our software focused on ‘photometric normals,’” Tschimben told FN. “Every object is also relightable, for various shadowing effects, and can be put into any kind of virtual or digital environment.”
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Having successfully launched his new tech, Tschimben, who has also spent time at PwC and Accenture, is looking to get the word out. “These scanners could be used for both business-to-business or business-to-consumer companies that wish to bolster their digital assets,” Tschimben said. “I believe 3D shopping is the future, and our scanners are an easy way for businesses to participate in this new wave of e-commerce.”
