Epic Games has released a new smartphone software that uses a series of smartphone images to create 3D models of objects. The concept is that you’ll be able to scan an object in the real world — say, a chair — and then import that scan into your game or project using the software RealityScan.
You can see how it works in the video at the top of this blog, which shows someone scanning a brown chair and creating a 3D model that appears to be created. The software is now in a first-come, first-served beta on Apple’s TestFlight program, with 10,000 people allowed to participate.
Armchair by RealityScanApp on Sketchfab
I got into the RealityScan beta, and it’s a really simple software to use. You can take a succession of images by holding the capture button down or taking them one at a time, and you’ll want to carefully move around the object to get a variety of shots. Take at least 20 photos, according to the app. After you’ve finished scanning, you may send the model to Sketchfab, a 3D-modeling platform, where you’ll be able to see the scan you took after a few minutes.
I think the app has a lot of promise, as it could be a really useful tool to quickly create 3D models using just your smartphone. An early access release on iOS is set for spring, and an Android version of the app is set to be released later this year.
And this isn’t the only developer tool news we’ll get from Epic this week; the company is hosting a “State of Unreal” event on Tuesday, April 5th, at 11AM ET.
