Scanning and Printing Persons in 3D

In this paper, we describe a novel approach to create 3D miniatures of persons using a Kinect sensor and a 3D color printer. To achieve this, we acquire color and depth images while the person is rotating on a swivel chair. We represent the model with a signed distance function which is updated and visualized as the images are captured for immediate feedback. Our approach automatically fills small holes that stem from self-occlusions. To optimize the model for 3D printing, we extract a watertight but hollow shell to minimize the production costs. In extensive experiments, we evaluate the quality of the obtained models as a function of the rotation speed, the non-rigid deformations of a person during recording, the camera pose, and the resulting self-occlusions. Finally, we present a large number of reconstructions and fabricated figures to demonstrate the validity of our approach.