Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD
Fully Automated 3D Workflows Impress Darmstadt
Test Passed: The Darmstadt Graphics Group (DGG) was able to win two awards at the Startup & Innovation Day. In a 1-minute pitch, the Fraunhofer IGD spin-off explained to the nearly thousand attendees how they plan to revolutionize 3D web applications. The ambition of their self-developed software is no small feat – RapidCompact positions itself as the first “MP3” for 3D web data. The software compresses the data to such an extent that displaying it on the web works seamlessly. The mesh generated by the polygons is automatically reduced and restructured in a pipeline without losing noticeable quality to the human eye. This convinced the audience, who were able to vote live for their favorites. The DGG captured both the hearts of the audience and first place for the best 1-minute pitch. This sensational achievement was rounded off with a third place in the competition for the best startup, where the DGG outperformed over 80 other competitors.
About RapidCompact
“Making 3D Accessible” is the motto of the four-person team from Darmstadt. They’ve been frustrated by the inertia of 3D data mass since 2014, which led them to develop the software InstantUV at Fraunhofer IGD. The algorithms tamed the sprawling 3D data, which could now be visualized with much less effort. Four years, much research, experience, passion, and a PhD later, the successful project spun off: InstantUV is now RapidCompact and is ready for the market. The software not only works lightning-fast but also fully automates the workflow around 3D data. The reduction of 3D data for online presentation had to be done manually until now – what used to take hours can now be done in 30 seconds. High-quality UV layouts and texture maps are also automatically generated. The model can be exported using glTF for use in the increasingly popular 3D viewers in web browsers. This significantly expands the potential user base, as no extensive knowledge of 3D data is required anymore for its use.
Startup & Innovation Day
The Innovation and Start-up Center HIGHEST at TU Darmstadt organized the third Darmstadt Startup & Innovation Day on October 22, 2018. The event, held at the Darmstadtium Congress Center, serves as a platform for startups to optimize their interaction with business, politics, and science. The award ceremony was the highlight for visitors and exhibitors, alongside the founder fair.