A low cost optical 3D scanner

Automatic 3D acquisition devices (often called 3D scanners) allow to build highly accurate models of real 3D objects in a cost- and time-effective manner. We have experimented this technology in a particular application context: the acquisition of Cultural Heritage artifacts. Specific needs of this domain are: medium-high accuracy, easy of use, affordable cost of the scanning device, self-registered acquisition of shape and color data, and finally operational safety for both the operator and the scanned artifacts. According to these requirements, we designed a low-cost 3D scanner based on structured light which adopts a new, versatile colored stripe pattern approach. We present the scanner architecture, the software technologies adopted, and the first results of its use in a project regarding the 3D acquisition of an archeological statue.