SBIR Phase I: In-Situ Sketching: Drawing on the Real World

This Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) Phase I project demonstrates the feasibility of a sketching system that bridges traditional drawing and three-dimensional modeling, offering a novel way to develop, explore and share visual ideas in 3-D. Using a fusion of hand-drawn strokes and captured imagery that can replicate the spatial and geometrical relationships found in the real world, these scenes are developed in 3-D at a speed and flexibility impossible with existing technology. The success and widespread adoption of the technology depends on the creation of a compelling and intuitive user experience. In order to confirm feasibility and bring the new platform to the market, the primary objective of this project is to complete the development of a tablet-based version of the system. The proposed research necessary to achieve this goal includes four interrelated parts: capture and exploration of exterior scenes, development of a user interface tailored to the new sketch paradigm, expansion of the sketching system to leverage data captured dynamically in situ, and a thorough evaluation of the user experience. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is to develop technology that will directly impact creative design as practiced by professionals (e.g., architects, film makers, engineers, artists) by offering a new platform for creating and editing 3-D scenes, and will also impact the communication of ideas, where D representations predominate. In today's market place, the competitive position of many firms is often determined by their ability to rapidly design products, generate concepts, and evaluate new solutions. Moreover, over 70% of design costs are committed during the conceptual design phase. This technology has the potential to markedly speed this phase while qualitatively improving the development of these ideas. 3-D printing technology presents another application for this technology, whose commercialization (even to home users) has increased the demand for CAD software by hobbyists, independent inventors, and small businesses. The technology developed through this project will seize on this market opportunity and will also generate other business opportunities in software authoring tools, direct content creation, and consulting services. The core technology will also have applications in areas of cultural heritage, consumer marketing, and advertising.