An Overview on Image-Based and Scanner-Based 3D Modeling Technologies

Advances in the scientific fields of photogrammetry and computer vision have led to the development of automated multi-image methods that solve the problem of 3D reconstruction. Simultaneously, 3D scanners have become a common source of data acquisition for 3D modeling of real objects/scenes/human bodies. This article presents a comprehensive overview of different 3D modeling technologies that may be used to generate 3D reconstructions of outer or inner surfaces of different kinds of targets. In this context, it covers the topics of 3D modeling using images via different methods, it provides a detailed classification of 3D scanners by additionally presenting the basic operating principles of each type of scanner, and it discusses the problem of generating 3D models from scans. Finally, it outlines some applications of 3D modeling, beyond well-established topographic ones.