Not sure how I missed this successful Kickstarter campaign from October, but here's more from Gizmag:
Virginia-based IkeGPS wants to bring this functionality to the mainstream. And what better way to do it than sticking it on the back of a smartphone?
Spike builds on the company's established GIS (geographic information systems) tools, which were used by the UN in the wake of natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. The device attaches to the back of a smartphone and combines a built-in laser range finder, 3D compass and Bluetooth chip with the phone's camera and GPS.
Users take a photo of the object they wish to measure through the Spike companion app on their smartphone (the team has nearly completed an Android app and has an iOS app in development). The hardware then measures key metrics, such as distance, direction and volume and communicates this data to the smartphone via Bluetooth, displaying the augmented results on the screen. Users can then share this data, or use it to produce 3D models with what the company says is laser accuracy.
According to it's successful Kickstarter campaign page, the company will allow third party app developers access to an API (application programming interface), enabling the embedding of specialist ikeTools into applications in anticipation of augmented reality and location based services apps.
Spike is also compatible with 3D modeling software SketchUp. This means that rather than importing measurements manually, users can take an image with Spike to reproduce a scalable model of the object or building and 3D-print it as required.
The entire device weighs approximately 100 g (3.5 oz) and measures 90 x 50 x 20 mm (3.5 x 2 x .8 in). The 905 nm, Class 1 Eyesafe laser has a range of 2 to 200 m (6 to 600 ft) with a resolution of ±0.2 m (8 in). Spike is powered by an internal Li-ion cell battery recharged via a Micro USB connector, with each charge lasting two days of typical use, according to the company.
Spike can be pre-ordered via IkeGPS's website for US$559 with shipping (included) estimated for May 2014.
Comments
Does anybody have an idea,
Could it be used on a drone
http://www.123dapp.com/catch
Really it just points to features that will be available in the near future for cheaper devices. I wonder if somebody will start collecting 3D data in one place and selling it on.
Should sell a $559 sticker .... that sticks to a phone.
much like making brushless gimbals for gopros.. They change pretty rapidly and your new gimbal for the GoPro 3 might not even work right with the GoPro 3+ due to design and weight changes.
relying (or building on top of) on third party manufactures is a quick way to get burned as you have no control over their design process. Hopefully this system is a bit future proof for the next three smartphone iterations... Or be prepared to buy new models more rapidly than a stand alone unit.
This will be amazing for someone like myself who is in the middle of school for CAD Engineering!!! Using my Phone as a 3D Scanner!?! Truly amazing.
Very cool
I know a lot of city planners and architects that would love that, but for anything non-planar, I will stick to pixel-based reconstructions.