No abstract

Imagery-based 3D scanning can be performed by scanners with multiple form factors, ranging from small and inexpensive scanners requiring manual movement around a stationary object to large freestanding (nearly) instantaneous units. Small mobile units are problematic for use in scanning living creatures, which may be unwilling or unable to (or for the very young and animals, unaware of the need to) hold a fixed position for an extended period of time. Alternately, very high cost scanners that can capture a complete scan within a few seconds are available, but they are cost prohibitive for some applications. This paper seeks to assess the performance of a large, low-cost 3D scanner, presented in prior work, which is able to concurrently capture imagery from all around an object. It provides the capabilities of the large, freestanding units at a price point akin to the smaller, mobile ones. This allows access to 3D scanning technology (particularly for applications requiring instantaneous imaging) at a lower cost. Problematically, prior analysis of the scanner's performance was extremely limited. This paper characterizes the efficacy of the scanner for scanning both inanimate objects and humans. Given the importance of lighting to visible light scanning systems, the scanner's performance under multiple lighting configurations is evaluated, characterizing its sensitivity to lighting design. OPEN ACCESSTechnologies 2015, 3 20

Increasing the resolution of the LCD (or similar) display used in projectors (in conjunction with increased light emissions, etc.) increases the resolution of the projected image and/or the distance that the projector can be from its screen. While increasing the size of the LCD panel represents one approach to producing increased resolution, this increases projector size and weight. This paper proposes the introduction of a mechanism to allow multiple pixels to be combined to create a higher resolution output image than the LCD (or similar) display used to create virtual pixels, increasing the effective resolution of the projector.

The OpenOrbiter Small Spacecraft Development Initiative is working to create a set of designs and implementation instructions for a 1-U CubeSat, called the Open Prototype for Educational NanoSats. These designs target a total parts cost of below USD $5,000. This design will be made publically available to facilitate its use by others, with or without modification. A 'side slotted' CubeSat design (where main circuit boards are placed in slots between the rails on the outside) has been developed for OpenOrbiter. This paper discusses the design choices that were made during the mechanical structure development of the OpenOrbiter CubeSat design, required to keep it within the mass, volume and monetary budgets. Choices like the design of the aluminum support structure, fastener mechanisms, circuit board layout and science package support structure are all discussed and their ease of construction and efficacy are considered. A discussion of ongoing work on the spacecraft's mechanical fabrication and other subsystems is also presented. The paper also discusses how the design can, prospectively, be utilized by others and the 'bigger picture' benefits provided by the design approach and open hardware concept.

Current monitor and television displays utilize pixels to display an approximation of the real world collected by a camera or generated computationally. This paper proposes a virtual pixel technology which incorporates coloring LCD combination. Each physical pixel's configuration is based on a weighted average of the virtual pixels it contributes to. This allows lower pixel density displays to produce the approximation of a higher pixel density, while lowering production cost. The paper provides an overview of the proposed technology, discusses its application to monitors and extension to other areas and concludes with a discussion of the next steps to its development.