Creating 3D models of real-world objects once required the kind of time, money, and expertise only available to movie studios and video game developers. With Neuralangelo, all it takes is a smartphone camera. The AI model, built by NVIDIA Research, turns 2D video into lifelike 3D replicas, capturing fine details of complex materials like roof shingles, panes of glass, and smooth marble. “The scenes and objects it creates are compatible with popular, off-the-shelf design applications, so they can be edited and used in digital twins [or virtual replicas of real-world objects], robotics, game development, and more,” says NVIDIA’s senior director of research, Ming-Yu Liu.
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