Quote Originally Posted by scobo View Post
I had a Cyclop ..... for all of a couple of weeks.
I just couldn't get a single decent mesh from it, no matter what I tried.
I think the weak link with it is the software.
The same hardware used with the David laser scanner software produces much better results.
The Cyclop scanner is closer in functionality to the Atlas 3D, than the David Laser scanner (aka Starter Kit). That uses a calibration panel with point references behind the model during the scan. A handheld line scanner oriented horizontally is used to brush" the model up & down to obtain a point cloud (the more passes you do, the denser the cloud), then you manually rotate the model 45°, and do it again.

After you capture the model from all sides (8+ positions), you can have the software align the captured point clouds and you end up with a mesh.

The Atlas and the Cyclop use a turntable to automatically turn the model in small increments (at least 800 steps per full revolution), while the camera reads the warped vertical lines the scanners shine on the model/object.

I don't think you can use the David software with the Cyclop or the Atlas, other than removing the laser and camera to use them manually. Which pretty much makes buying those scanners a waste of money, since you can get a decent webcam and a line laser for under $50.

BTW, unlike the Cyclop 3D, the Atlas 3D scanner is a self contained system that doesn't require a PC to function. It uses a Raspberry Pi as the controller, and a the end user controls it from a Web Interface via WiFi or Ethernet. Some people have actually connected a small touch screen to the unit to make it completely independent.