Introduction to Scan Visualization

This lesson is in development and will be released in January 2025.

Visualizing scans in Unity, Unreal Engine, Nira, and Cesium offers powerful ways to bring 3D data to life, each catering to different aspects of 3D visualization and interactivity.

Unity

In Unity, tools like CTScanVisualiser allow users to transform CT scans into 3D textures and render them as interactive experiences. Unity’s flexibility makes it a go-to platform for developers who want to create custom pipelines for applications such as medical imaging, training simulations, or even virtual reality. Its compatibility with a wide range of plugins and assets further extends its capability for managing complex datasets.

Unreal

Unreal Engine, known for its cutting-edge graphics, simplifies the process of importing and staging 3D scans. With features like Nanite, Unreal handles high-poly meshes efficiently, enabling developers to create highly detailed and photorealistic environments without compromising performance. This makes it ideal for projects requiring seamless realism, such as virtual production, architectural visualization, or gaming.

Nira

Nira adds another layer of innovation by offering a cloud-based 3D visualization platform. It is particularly adept at handling large datasets and allowing real-time collaboration over the web. Developers can upload 3D models, scans, or photogrammetry data to Nira, enabling users to visualize and interact with them through a browser. Nira is particularly beneficial for the AEC sector, allowing stakeholders to track construction site progress and remotely examine real world assets. Additionally, Nira supports design iteration and collaborative workflows, offering instant accessibility without requiring high-end hardware.

Cesium

Cesium excels in geospatial visualization; handling point clouds and 3D models with massive datasets. Its tiling system enables seamless integration of geospatial content like terrain, satellite imagery, and photogrammetry. Cesium plugins for Unity and Unreal further enhance these platforms by offering real-time streaming of high-resolution photogrammetry, terrain, and geospatial data, making them indispensable for applications such as digital twins, urban planning, and location-based simulations.

Gaussian Splats

For photorealistic rendering of real-world locations and objects, Gaussian splats can be used to represent 3D scenes as collections of particles, each defined by position, rotation, and scale. This technique offers a highly efficient alternative to traditional polygonal meshes or voxels, particularly in real-time rendering. Plugins for Unity and Unreal support Gaussian splat visualization, enabling interactive exploration of detailed 3D scenes. This approach is particularly suited for applications requiring high performance and real-time interaction, such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and interactive simulations.

Together, Unity, Unreal Engine, Nira, and Cesium provide a robust ecosystem for developers, enabling the creation of detailed, immersive visualizations across a wide range of industries, from medical imaging and digital twins to e-commerce and virtual reality environments. These platforms not only enhance the realism and interactivity of 3D data but also provide the scalability and performance needed for real-world applications.