TECH GAUSSIAN SPLATTING THINK OF GAUSSIAN SPLATTING AS A WAY TO SPLAT A SCENE INTO A VIEWABLE, INTERACTIVE FORMAT
Phil Rhodes explores the emergent 3D capture technology, with input from Clear Angle Studios and the NFTS
B ringing real-world objects into computer images isn’t a new idea, but the most popular approaches have struggled with elements as simple as reflective surfaces. Some fresh ideas, though, might offer solutions. Object scanning has typically relied on recreating the shape of an object as a mesh, then painting onto that mesh with image data. Techniques involving multi-directional lighting can record the more complex characteristics of a surface, but reflections of the environment in which the object was scanned, as well as transparency, are often poorly represented. An alternative – resplendent in the name Gaussian splatting – is based on ideas dating back to the nineties,
but recent advances in hardware and software have made it more practical. Alex Dewar is lead capture technician at Clear Angle Studios, and describes the technique simply: “Imagine a three- dimensional scene made up of millions of tiny, coloured points. Each point – or Gaussian – has a specific location in that 3D space as well as a colour, shape and opacity. Then, when you look at the scene, those points are rendered so that you see a realistic image, complete with lighting and reflections.” Dewar’s involvement began with more traditional techniques. “I fell in love with 3D work at The Animation School in Cape Town. After that, I landed a job working on projects like Troy : Fall of a City and The Scorpion King : Book of Souls .
EXPERT EXPLAINER Clear Angle lead capture technician Alex Dewar sheds light on Gaussian splatting 3D capture technology
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