Innovative 3D scanning technology in Roland Emmerich’s historical epic

The botspot Innovation Lab is pleased to announce that advanced 3D scanning technology has been used in the production of “Those About to Die”, the new historical epic from Roland Emmerich. The series is available from today on Amazon Prime and Peacock.

When asked to scan live horses for the series, a unique challenge arose. Most 3D scanning technologies have difficulty capturing moving objects, as any movement during the scan, no matter how small, leads to inaccuracies, making consistent models difficult or impossible. This technology overcomes this challenge by capturing all images simultaneously so that movements of the animal do not affect the result.

The Innovation Lab enthusiastically accepted this challenge. The client already owned a BOTSCAN NEO, a full-body scanner with 160 high-resolution cameras arranged in a circle to capture people simultaneously from all angles. For the horses, the 12 side elements of the scanner were set up slightly oval to each other in two rows using a support structure to take the size of the animals into account.

Great importance was attached to ensuring that the horses were exposed to as little stress as possible during the scan. A separate entrance and exit allowed a straight path through the scanner, and the trainers were always close to the horses as caregivers. The scanning process itself took only 0.1 seconds to capture the entire geometry and texture of the horses.

Horse scanning may seem like a niche application, but it has many uses beyond the film industry. Tailor-made saddles are crucial for the health and well-being of horses. A scan that reproduces the exact body measurements in the form of a 3D model enables custom-fit production. In addition, the data for measuring muscle mass, body volume and hooves is relevant for breeding and health, especially for racehorses. Such data can also be used in veterinary medicine to analyze health problems and create orthopaedic aids.