System for acquisition of three-dimensional shape and movement using digital Light-in-Flight holography

In the development of new products there are two parallel lines for the development process to follow: the traditional or "real" and the new computer aided or "virtual." The traditional line is to develop prototypes that can be used for testing strength, functionality, and visual appearance of the product. In the virtual line digital (CAD) models are developed that can be tested entirely in a computer by simulations, e.g., using finite element analysis (FEA) and other tools. For transformation from the real to the Virtual world some kind of 3-D acquisition system is needed. The shape of the model should be measured together with further data concerning the visual appearance, material properties, etc. We develop electronic recording techniques for doing this based on the Light-in-Flight technique. This technology has all the advantages of holography, i.e., apart from the shape it is also possible to measure how much light is reflected from different parts of the object along with interferometric information, which can give mechanical data for the object. This can be used, for example, for visualization and to give tactile and haptic information to a virtual reality system about how the object would be perceived by a person touching it. (C) 2001 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.