Between the Lines

Import Rhino 3DM File Into AutoCAD

This is one of those updated features in AutoCAD 2012 that people may not be aware of. You can Import several non-Autodesk 3D formats into AutoCAD 2012 including .3DM files from Rhino.

Command line: IMPORT
Ribbon: Insert tab  > Import panel > Import
Menu: File > Import

Here are the formats The IMPORT command will import:

• 3D Studio (*.3ds): 3D Studio files
• ACIS (*.sat): ACIS solid object files
• CATIA V4 (*.model; *.session; *.exp; *.dlv3): CATIA^® V4 model, session and export files
• CATIA V5 (*.CATPart; *.CATProduct): CATIA^® V5 part and assembly files
• FBX files (*.fbx): Autodesk^® FBX files
• IGES (*.igs; *.iges): IGES files
• JT (*.jt): JT files
• Metafile (*.wmf): Microsoft Windows^® Metafile
• MicroStation DGN (*.dgn): MicroStation DGN files
• Parasolid binary (*.x_b): Parasolid binary files
• Parasolid text (*.x_t): Parasolid text files
• Pro/ENGINEER (*.prt*; *.asm*): Pro/ENGINEER^® part and assembly files
• Pro/ENGINEER Granite (*.g): granite files generated by Pro/ENGINEER
• Pro/ENGINEER Neutral (*.neu): granite neutral files generated by Pro/ENGINEER
• Rhino (*.3dm): Rhinoceros^® model files
• SolidWorks (*.prt; *.sldprt; *.asm; *.sldasm): SolidWorks^® part and assembly files
• STEP (*.ste; *.stp; *.step): STEP files

Still on Windows Vista and Using Autodesk software?

Operating Systems does not age like a fine wine and instead have an expiration date just like milk where they smell and taste bad after time.

If you are still using Windows Vista and plan to upgrade Autodesk software this year, you may want to consider upgrading your old Operating System.  As of January 1st 2012 upgrades or new releases and services will no longer be supported on Windows Vista.

Read the latest on Autodesk’s Support of Windows Vista http://autode.sk/xY3PHO

Autodesk Octo-Copter Testing

As I mentioned in a recent post (Aerial Capture of 3D Geometry), I was hoping to attend a test flight of the remote controlled Octo-Copter that captured photos that were then used to automatically generate a 3D model using Autodesk 123D Catch. Last Thursday the weather and my schedule aligned and I joined Autodesk employee Gonzalo Martinez Director of Strategic Research in San Rafael California for test flight of the 8 bladed aerial copter. The eight rotor aircraft can operate 100% autonomous based on a programmed GPS route and patterns or if you are skilled you can run in manual pilot mode.

Here is the video from this test flight:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgZLUf1TMDA

The Octo-Copter can reach 3500 meters flying by First Person View (FPV) or 1000 meters distance if flying autonomous GPS in accordance with FAA rules for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). The current payload can be up to 2 kg such as cameras sensors, and a fluffy puppy. OK there was no puppy onboard the copter, but as smooth and safe as the flight was we could have. If I weighed in under 2Kg, I would have happily climbed aboard for the flight.

During flight the Octo-Copter transmits a live video feed FPV back to a remote LCD screen or video display goggles. This allows the pilot to see what the Octo-Copter sees like a virtual onboard pilots eyes. I felt a little weird when wearing the goggles seeing the live video looking down from a few hundred meters zooming along like a bird. It was as if I had channeled my inner falcon for an out of body experience.

We had one person show up to the field we were flying from reporting that a couple people a few streets over had reported they saw a UFO or some secret police surveillance drone. We set this persons mind at ease and told him it was just a research project to capture 3D geometry of the Autodesk headquarters located across the field from us.

The possibilities for aerial 3D capture are wide from construction to historical preservation. Research is continuing on the Reality Capture whether on the ground and in the air.

Cheers,
Shaan

On This Day in 1982 – The Design Industry Changed

Autodesk was created on this day January 30, 1982 and would bring Computer Aided Design (CAD) down from the expensive mainframe systems to the PC with a new product named AutoCAD. Since that time CAD has grown and branched out into other CAD specialty processes like Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Digital Prototyping. Autodesk also helped pioneer design visualization growing it from the DOS based 3D Studio in the early 80s to an entire business division of media and entertainment covering not only design visualization but 3D animation, gaming, movie visual fx, and more.

Autodesk Flying founders
”Autodesk Founders. They didn't walk on water, but they could fly pretty well.”

Here's to the next 30+ years of Autodesk, Computer Aided Design, and Visualization - and the changes it will bring the world of design!

Autodesk History Gallery

Cheers,
Shaan

This Week in Pictures

I spent the last week in the San Francisco Bay area Autodesk offices. It is always great seeing colleagues of mine as well as the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area. Here is my quick visual story in pictures of this week captured with my mobile phone.

Nobody should ever miss an opportunity to visit Ritual Coffee Roasters in San Francisco for a great coffee and a crowd of tech heavyweights seated in the coffee shop.

Visited Hackerspace Noisebridge (http://www.noisebridge.net)
Read More: Hacker Spaces – Come Meet Your Makers

Several scenic ferry rides across the bay to get to the office. This has to be one of the best commutes ever with the scenery and being able talk with people without worrying about a car cutting you off on the congested freeway. I can never have enough middle fingers for the highway 101 commute. ;-)

The new span of the San Francisco Bay Bridge is coming along nicely.
http://baybridgeinfo.org/construction-cams

Looking out my fourth floor office window I notice I had a feathered stalker staring back at me. Apparently this seagull is known by a few Autodesk employees as “Jonathan” and sits in window ledges frequently.

See more of my images from the week:

Hacker Spaces – Come Meet Your Makers

This week I had the opportunity to visit the Noisebridge Hacker Space in San Francisco with an Autodesk colleague Gregory Miller and Alex Peake. Alex is on Kickstarter with a game project named Code Hero where you not only learn about pioneers and computer science heros such as Charles Babbage, Ada Lovelace, and Alan Turing but learn how to code in the process of the game. It is nice to see not another mind numbing zombie killing game, but one where you learn some programming languages such as JavaScript and Unity3D, and exercise your problem solving skills.

Don’t let the name “Hacker Space” scare you. A Hacker Space is not a group of people sitting around hacking into your online accounts, but a group of people young and old who work on projects from a wide array of things such as computers and electronics to building robots, lasers, rocketry, and wood working.

 

I love seeing Maker spaces where creativity and making things is the main purpose of people gathering in a common space. In this visit to Noisebridge I saw some young children about 10-12 printing some 3D plastic designs on some of the available MakerBot printers, a teenager writing a program that takes the electrical signals from a special head band to drive a terrain game engine, some high school students working on a robot for the FIRST Robotics competitions, some people sewing a project, another group working on some wood working, and several others all on a Sunday afternoon. What a cool and creative space to learn, build, and share with others.

Some members of Noisebridge also had a great sense of humor with their signs on everything everywhere!

There are Hacker Spaces all over the world and other Maker spaces like TechShop spreading to fill the needs of those that are not satisfied with just running down to the store to buy a alarm clock and instead get an open-source Arduino microcontroller circuit board and a bunch of LEDs and then begin to build and program their own alarm clock. Not only do they end up with a one of a kind alarm clock but the special knowledge after having built it themselves.  I would strongly urge you to look into a Hacker Space or other Maker related space as there are most likely groups in your town where you can participate and contribute building your own projects or mentoring others members.. Even if the maker movement is not for you, I bet you know someone that has an idea just dying to get out of their head and build it themselves.

Here are some online resources on spaces:
http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/Hackerspaces
http://www.techshop.com/

I would also encourage you to attend MakerFaire as that is one mind blowing experience with tens of thousands of Makers gathered in one location to show of their creations.

Cheers,
Shaan

Extract Features & Shapes from Point Cloud Data in AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and Revit

If you have or receive point cloud data I wanted to point out Autodesk Labs currently has some preview technologies to convert the point cloud data into geometry and features in some Autodesk products. These preview technologies hosted on Autodesk Labs are free to use with the only purpose and request for posting them is we want your feedback.

Shape Extraction for AutoCAD - Convert point clouds to real geometry.

Point Cloud Feature Extraction for Civil 3D - Intelligently map point cloud data to civil objects.

Point Cloud Feature Extraction for Autodesk Revit 2012 - Easily go from point clouds to Revit.

Cheers,
Shaan

Create a 3D Model of Your Head

I wanted to show how anyone can create a 3D model of themselves or a person they know using a digital camera, free Autodesk software, and a 3D printer.

Here is an example of my two Autodesk colleagues Brian Mathews and Scott Sheppard as 3D printed miniature heads- about the size of Barbie doll heads. I could have printed the heads much larger, but that also increases the creepiness factor of carrying around a rather large plastic head of a coworker.

Here are Scott  & Brian with their mini 3D printed heads.

How I did it:

With the person holding very still and me walking around them, I took about 40 photos of their head. I then used the free Autodesk 123D Catch where you use photos to automatically generate a 3D model.  When I was satisfied with the results, I  exported an .OBJ file to use as the raw 3D model I wanted to use for 3D printed plastic heads.

 

Here are the screen captures from 123D Catch of the texture and wireframe mesh models of both Brian and Scott.

I then cleaned mesh model for 3D printing by opening the .OBJ file in the free Autodesk meshmixer. Meshmixer allowed me to fill and zipper holes, smooth areas, and reduce or refine the mesh areas as well as remove portions of the mesh. I can also paint with volume brushes to create more detail or even add other OBJ content to add say a pair of horns to a persons head just in case you intend to mount it on the wall. When I am done I export the file as .STL ready for printing.

Now using the .STL file I can print the head in ABS plastic on a 3D printer like a Makerbot or using an online 3D printing service like Shapeways.com. You could also import the .STL file into Autodesk 123D Make and slice up the model into layers which can create a pattern to construct a 3D model out of cardboard.

Scott’s head being printed on a MakerBot.

You can even import the .STL file Project Falcon to see how fluids would flow around your cranium using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis.

I hope you will give this fun experiment a try as it is not only fun but a real conversation starter when you have a recognizable coworkers head or your own on your desk, or in your pocket. Of course there are more practical objects you could capture and 3D print using the same methods such as statues, architecture, and even geology such as the mountain I 3D printed from a Autodesk 123D Catch created 3D model.

Cheers,
Shaan