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Surface scans

Surface scans

By Doug Boyer
Jun 08, 2022

There is a large and increasing diversity of commercially available surface scanners that use a variety of custom approaches. These tools vary in 1) methods for setting image scale; 2) combining multiple scans; 3) workflows supported by associated proprietary software; 4) formats used for raw and derivative formats.  Because of this variety it is difficult for MorphoSource to put many "guard rails" on its submission tools or to express 'best practice' recommendations or requirements on data types or metadata. Table below expresses what we think are currently reasonable expectations/options.

CriteriaRaw dataDerivative data 1Derivative data 2
Importance for reproducibility and reusetypically lowmedium-high
types

Varies based on scanner

  • collections of unaligned point clouds and or mesh files representing separate "scan passes"
  • single mesh or point cloud

single mesh

  • based on alignment and merging of raw data point cloud or mesh collections.
  • minimal modification otherwise (eg no patching, cleaning, smoothing, mesh regularization, etc.)

format(s)

varies

  • Often made available only as proprietary formats, which makes them out-of-scope for MorphoSource. If conversion to a non-proprieary format is easy and doesn't greatly hinder the ability for creation of single mesh derivatives, then conversion to a non-proprietary format is recommended.  Otherwise, raw data should be omitted if it cannot be effectively converted to an open format.
any open, supported format
zip*** files required/recommended/discouraged**requireddiscouraged
critical metadata for accurate reuse

varies depending on scanner.

  • units of mesh coordinate system
  • units of mesh coordinate system

recommended attachmentsnoneany software generated reports about the success and/or errors involved in processing the raw data into a single mesh (.txt or pdf format)
Thumbnail****

varies

  • user preference for collections of meshes/point clouds
  • screenshot of mesh/point cloud for single meshes
screenshot of mesh
Preview setting

varies

  • select "2D thumbnail" for collections of meshes/point clouds
  • user preference for single meshes/point clouds (raw meshes often have poor geometry and large file sizes and may not yield satisfcatory interactive previews)
user preference (raw meshes often have poor geometry and large file sizes and may not yield satisfcatory interactive previews)


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