Processing methodologies and interactive visualization of 3D scanned architectures

Detailed and accurate digital 3D models can be produced with 3D scanning devices, which convert reality into digital form in a cost- and time-effective manner. This document outlines the capabilities of this technology and the overall methodology. In spite of the fact that this technology can be considered sufficiently established, it is not used on a large scale because of a cultural gap and insufficient supply of adequate software to process and render raw sampled data. 3D scanning is still perceived as a complex operation. At the same time, the use of data from 3D scanning in restoration and virtual presentations is below the potential offered by this technology. This brief contribution describes the problems and potential in this field and, at the same time, shows some new software technologies developed by ISTI-CNR.