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The TSSG Technology Gateway at Walton Institute is proud to announce it has been chosen as one of the successful applicants of the €6m Capital Equipment Fund administered by Enterprise Ireland through the Technology Gateway and Technology Centre Programmes.
TSSG was one of 29 successful projects chosen from across the third level sector to secure funding to assist in buying world-leading research equipment that will serve the Research and Development (R&D) needs of Irish industry.
The winners were selected through a rigorous evaluation process based on eligibility criteria for the call which included, but was not limited to, a strong track record of industry engagement, and a significant industrial need for the new equipment.
The TSSG Technology Gateway was awarded funding for a Digital Photogrammetry Unit, a system which comprises a 3D scanner system working with photogrammetry techniques to implement contactless, rapid and safe scanning of real life objects from 50cm radius up to and exceeding people and large artefacts. This equipment offers the capability to acquire detailed 3D models of large objects (including people) in a fraction of a second. This would enable rapid 3D modelling for clients and this equipment has huge potential for such verticals as Virtual and Augmented Reality, healthcare, telepresence and Industry 4.0 applications.
The growth of the global AR/VR industry has led to a marked increase in businesses looking to integrate immersive technologies into their workflow, processes and products. Despite disparate sectors – such as big pharmaceutical, manufacturing, retail, tourism, medical and engineering – a unifying factor has been the focus on the acquisition of highly accurate and detailed 3D digital representation of their content. Techniques for creating these models often comprise close range photogrammetry techniques that can be quite labour- and resource-intensive which can be off putting for clients and researchers.
“The introduction of this all-in-one digital photogrammetry unit greatly enhances the TSSG Technology Gateway’s ability to deliver highly detailed 3D models in a rapid manner with no fixed limit on throughput, thereby offering a time and cost effective solution for clients, ” explains Stephen Barnes, Experienced Research Software Developer at Walton.
The team at Walton Institute aims to have the Digital Photogrammetry Unit installed and operational before the end of 2021.