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While many of us may have scanners at home based on the fact that they are normally built into many printers, most cannot boast having 3D scanners. Those tend to be a bit pricey. However, if you are of the artistic nature or work in an industry that requires imaging in all dimensions, then having a 3D scanner can be a boon.
That does not mean you have to purchase an expensive 3D scanner. Nope. Now all you have to do is own an iPhone X and download Cappy AR.
All you have to do to get started is agree to allow the app to use the camera. Once you do this, you can scan away. The app immediately opens up to the scanning screen. It prompts you to place your iPhone over a horizontal surface and then start moving it slowly in circles over the item you want to scan. You continue to do this until the app tells you to stop. The app has been improved by allowing for longer scan time, producing higher quality 3D files. Note that the 3D scanning works only with the iPhone X, whose camera is specially designed to handle capture of images that can be used to create 3D imagery.
The app is available for download on all iPhones as long as you have iOS 11.0 or later. This allows others who do not have an iPhone X to be able to view and use the 3D images created in Cappy AR.
While scanning, you can set certain parameters to enhance your 3D image. These parameters include:
- Mesh Color – this allows you to set the overall color of the 3D image, if you want to make it abstract
- Guides – you can toggle between having guides on or off
- Wireframe – toggle between showing the wireframe in your image, or not
- Reset AR – reset the parameters and start from scratch
Once you scan an image, the app allows you to save it or even export it. Previous versions had not allowed for exporting, which of course was essential to having such a powerful feature on your device. Now, you can. These images can then be consumed by so many. You can add them to other images, post them, share them and more.
What I would like to have seen is better instruction on how to use this app on non iPhone X devices. Specifically, it should shut off the scanning option if it is not supported on a device, or at least say, feature is not supported on this device.
That said, Cappy AR has made vast improvements on the device that it does support and has opened the doors to creative minds, giving them the ability to do more with their mobile devices and removing the restrictions of requiring bulky scanning equipment. Now you can create 3D imagery wherever you are!
