Consortium helps develop 3-D scanner

by Sheldon Smart of the C4 Consortium

Imagine capturing a 3-D image as easily as you snap a photo. A UW researcher hopes to accomplish that with his new low-cost, hand-held 3-D scanner, and his innovative design has earned him a substantial funding commitment from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.

A 3-D scanner is a device that collects three-dimensional shape information about an object. The collected data can then be used to create three-dimensional computer models of the object. These models are useful for a wide variety of applications from animation to manufacturing.

The 3-D scanner is based on technology developed by Jonathan Kofman and George Knopf at the University of Western Ontario. The duo received a patent for the underlying technology in 2003. Kofman (pictured), now a Waterloo systems design engineering professor, continues working to turn it into a commercial product. His efforts received a substantial boost recently when it was awarded $92,000 from NSERC's Idea to Innovation (I2I) program to fund the development of a robust prototype for field trials. As well, Kofman will continue to develop the unique algorithms that set his device apart.

Kofman's scanner promises to be easier to operate and maintain than current commercial 3-D handheld scanners, which require additional tracking components, or require markers to be placed on the object being scanned.

Conventional scanners generally place the target object on a moving table or attach the scanner to a mobile arm. Kofman examined several approaches early in his career when he was developing body scanners for use in prosthetic limb clinics. No single 3-D scanner could handle the diverse requirements of the clients. Frustrated, he set out to design a more flexible handheld scanner which features tracking-free and markerless operation.

His new 3-D scanner has a wide range of uses beyond fitting prostheses. The entertainment industry routinely scans items to be used in animations and CGI (computer generated images) for movies, TV shows and video games. Manufacturers scan parts they are trying to reverse engineer and scan finished products to check quality. Museums scan fragile artifacts to allow them to be studied without risk of damage.

"Receiving this I2I support from NSERC is a real vote of confidence in this technology," said Mark Innes, the C4 industry liaison officer, based at Western, who shepherded the proposal through the I2I application process. Both Western and Waterloo are founding members of C4, a technology transfer consortium that brings together the technology commercialization efforts of universities across Southwest Ontario.

Kofman's efforts to commercialize the technology have been aided by the close working relationship that the technology transfer offices at both Western and Waterloo have formed as part of the C4. "With the patent assigned to Western and with continuing research being led by Dr. Kofman here at UW, this kind of intellectual property cross-fertilization effort is typically very challenging to facilitate,” says Scott Inwood, director of UW’s Intellectual Property Management Group. “However, our C4 collaborative framework enabled the project to proceed smoothly.”

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Online service to confirm UW degrees

Companies that need to confirm whether so-and-so really is a Waterloo graduate will now be able to get the information online, rather than phoning the registrar’s office or graduate studies office.

“Effective November 26, 2007,” says a memo from the registrar, “the verification of University of Waterloo degrees will be handled by a Canadian company called AuraData. We have populated a secure database of all undergraduate and graduate degree holders.”

Says registrar Ken Lavigne: “Please refer all requests from any human resources departments, verification companies, employment agencies, staffing companies, etc. for confirmation of the graduation status of University of Waterloo graduates to www.auradata.com. If in doubt as to individual university-related requests of this nature, please ask Mark Grant in the RO or Penny Pudifin in the GSO whether we should refer the request to AuraData.”

Grant — who started work a few weeks ago as manager of customer service in the registrar’s office — says requests for such information from inside UW will still be handled internally, by him or by other customer service staff. In addition, according to the memo, “Requests from specific UW graduates who need formal verification from us of their degree status will still be handled here.”

Grant said there has been dramatic growth in the number of inquiries, as companies are more and more likely to check the credentials of job applicants and others with whom they’re doing business. Lately the registrar’s office has typically handled “40 to 60” requests a week to confirm that somebody who claims to be a Waterloo graduate does have such a degree.

Each inquiry takes time away from other customer service, involves delay while the files are checked, and can only be handled during business hours in the Waterloo time zone. Inquiries through AuraData usually get an instant online response and can be processed 24 hours a day — a special convenience to international companies, Grant noted. AuraData charges a small fee for each inquiry it handles, not enough to be a burden to corporations, he said.

A note on privacy from the registrar’s memo: “The AuraData process only confirms completion of the degree, including the degree title, the major(s) and the date of convocation. No grades or other transcript information is included. An AuraData search is initiated only with the written authorization of the graduate and the process conforms to all privacy laws.”

The memo says customer service team members in the registrar’s office and certain staff in the grad office “are on the list to receive calls from AuraData to verify any data for graduates who appear not to be in the database or anyone else who doesn't come up in the search. They will respond to these AuraData information requests as quickly as possible in accordance with the agreement.”

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A few flakes in the daily flurry

Katrina DiGravio, UW’s director of organizational and human development, has announced something to mark on that still-pristine 2008 calendar. “We are launching the first-ever Staff Conference at UW,” she says. “It will take place for two full days on April 8 and 9. The four main areas of focus will be Educate, Develop, Grow and Experience (EDGE). The two days will be devoted to enriching the working lives of staff at UW. We have some terrific keynote speakers lined up so staff should watch for more details in the new year.”

Also, this update on OHD training programs: “We have had terrific response to our Supervisory Success programs — Hallmarks & Delegating. Other programs which were also well received include Managing Multiple Priorities, E-mail as a Second Language and Guerrilla Grammar. We will continue to run these sessions through the Winter and also be adding some new programs. OHD would like to thank staff for taking the time to give us their ideas, suggestions and feedback through evaluation forms, contacting the Training and Development Committee, and calling our office directly.”

The school of accounting and finance sends word that out of the 953 Ontario graduates who qualified to write the Uniform Evaluation (UFE) in September, 104 were graduates of UW's Master of Accounting Program, and they've achieved "a very notable first-time writer pass rate" of 85%. Two of the MAcc graduates were named to the Ontario Honour Roll: Jayne L.S. Ho, now with PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Stephanie V. Lo., now with KPMG. "The UFE is a highly demanding exam," a memo explains, "where Chartered Accountant candidates demonstrate the level of knowledge, ability to think analytically and integratively, and the professional judgment that is expected of CAs. Successful candidates showcased their competence in a wide range of areas critical to success in business though their analysis of complex business simulations. The pass rate for Ontario first-time writers is 74.5%. To honour the new CAs, the UW Accounting Alumni Association will hold its traditional hospitality suite at the ICAO convocation ceremony in February."

Ontario University Athletics has named Cam McIntyre of the basketball Warriors as this week’s provincial Pioneer Petroleums Athlete of the Week, men’s category. McIntyre, says an OUA citation, “led the Warriors to two wins on the weekend against York and Laurentian. On Friday night vs. the Lions, Cam scored an amazing 37 points including seven 3-pointers (one shy of the Waterloo all-time record) in an 82-72 win over York. On Saturday against the Voyageurs, Cam added 17 points. Cam scored four of his 17 in the final minutes to secure the 71-68 victory.”

The Certificate in University Teaching program winds up for this term with a workshop next Tuesday on "Teaching in the Canadian Classroom", described as "a forum for instructors with international backgrounds to share their experiences". • Food services on campus are gradually cutting back as the end of term approaches, and today's innovation is that Tim Horton's in South Campus Hall will be closing at 4:00 rather than staying open into the evening as it's done for the past three months. • The UW Recreation Committee is inviting faculty and staff to express interest in "Simplicity Circle workshops that show you how to practise a simple lifestyle"; e-mail uwrc@admmail for details.

“Nominations are requested,” says a reminder from the university secretariat, “for the following faculty-at-large seats on Senate: One faculty member of the University to be elected by/from the members of faculty of the University, term to April 30, 2009; One faculty member of the University to be elected by/from the members of faculty of the University, term to April 30, 2008. Nomination forms are available from the Secretariat (ext. 36125) and from the Secretariat webpage. At least five nominators are required in each case. Nominations should be sent to the Secretariat, Needles Hall, Room 3060, no later than 3:00 p.m., Friday, December 7, 2007. Elections will follow if necessary.”

And . . . Monday’s Daily Bulletin mentioned the weather forecast web site operated by Jim Sloan of the Waterloo Centre for Atmospheric Sciences. I referred to Sloan as a professor of chemistry, not knowing that earlier this year, he changed affiliations and is now in the department of earth and environmental sciences.

CAR

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