Creating 3D Macro Models Using Gaussian Splatting Technology
By
danybittel
Hand-rolled, kettle-boiled, baked to perfection. Worth every minute at the bakery.
Summary
The article explores the use of Gaussian splatting, a 3D reconstruction technique that uses blurry ellipsoids with view-dependent colors optimized through AI-like training, to create detailed 3D models of macro subjects like insects. The author discusses the technical challenges of capturing macro photography for splatting, particularly the extremely shallow depth of field, and shares their personal journey in experimenting with this emerging technology for creating interactive 3D representations of small, complex objects.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledA Gaussian splat is essentially a bunch of blurry ellipsoids. Each one has a view-dependent color, using a process similar to training an AI model, you can optimize until it converges to the photos you feed in.
The result is a sort of 3D photograph that can be viewed freely from any angle.
Captivated by this possibility, I wanted to create splats of macro subjects. The hairy, fuzzy textures and complex structures of insects make them a perfect fit for this technique.
In theory, creating a splat is as simple as filming the object from all sides. Unfortunately, the extremely shallow depth of field...
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