[Editor’s note: SPAR reports on crowd-funded products with the goal of keeping you informed–we have not personally tested the device and cannot vouch for the truth of the manufacturer’s claims. As always, use your best judgment and do your research before investing in any 3D-capture solution.]
With only a few days left in the $20,000 Indiegogo campaign for the Wunder360 S1, the “first 3D-scanning & 360° AI camera,” Evomotion has already surpassed its goal by around 1200%.
The Shenzhen-based company wants to focus on applications in real-time 3D reconstruction, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), mobile robotics, mobile handsets, and panorama/surveillance internet cameras.
The Wunder360 S1 shoots still photos in 4K (4096 x 2048), and records video in 3040 × 1520 at 30fps or 2176 × 1080 at 60fps. It is easy to take and use it anywhere, weighing only 98g and measuring 74 x 50 x 35mm. The Wunder360 also includes a 1/4 inch standard mounting socket.
Many of the device’s features seem to target adventurers, explorers and action-packed 360º videos, but there’s one feature could appeal to commercial industries as well.
“3D is the content format of the future,” says Evomotion, “and the S1 makes it accessible for all. Forget the heavy and expensive reconstruction devices, the S1 is inexpensive and easy to use—just shoot a photo or video around the target you’d like to scan and then export it.”
By simply walking around and shooting a 360-degree video with the Wunder360 S1, you can upload the recording through your smartphone to Evomotion’s cloud service, and the system will generate a 3D point cloud or mesh model of the object, or indoor/outdoor location you recorded. The model can be stored on the storage and publishing platform for virtual tours, or exported to obj. and ply. file-type formats, which can be used with several 3D editing software, such as Unity, Unreal Engine, or AutoCAD.
For the consumer side, the camera features real-time in-camera stitching for 360º photo & video, with no post-production editing needed, making it capable of stitching two fisheye images together with the click of a button. It also uses electronic image stabilization (EIS) “to ensure that no matter how much the camera jerks, your images stay stable, sharp and in focus.” Furthermore, the Wunder360 S1 uses CNN (convolutional neural network) deep learning framework, to recognize the main subjects in the videos and continuously keep tracking them.
“Ideal for athletes, dancers and others with an active lifestyle who want to analyze their performance”, the Phantom Clipper mode allows users to capture every part of a motion in 360. The video below shows how this feature works.
Evomotion expects to release the camera by October 2018 with a retail price of $189. If you pre-order it during the Indiegogo campaign, prices range from $129 up to $299 for packages, and every level of donation includes a waterproof case, an extra battery, a dual battery charger, a selfie stick, a mini tripod, and more. Shipping is free to North America and many countries in the EU.
