Three dimensional holographic visualization technology company Zebra Imaging announced the launch of a 3D Hologram Creator plugin for Autodesk Revit Building Information Modeling (BIM) software users. Now, all Revit users can quickly and easily create designs that can be printed as 3D holographic prints to showcase their architecture, engineering, and construction designs.
The 3D Hologram Creator extends the native file export capabilities of Revit’s software to include OBJ files, the format required for holographic printing. The software will export all selected geometry in a 3D view along with any materials used in the scene, and it fits seamlessly into any AEC professional’s workflow.
The software in preview. Image courtesy Zebra Imaging
“Holograms are new to the architecture market, but their ability to depict depth and detail in eye-catching ways are exactly what clients want to see,” said Chuck Scullion, Zebra Imaging’s President and CEO, in a release. “Immersing clients into a design will now be as simple as preparing a file for printing. The focus belongs on the design, not the process.”
“Gone are the days of expensive, fragile, and bulky solid models that take weeks to produce,” the company said in a release. “3D holograms provide accurate portrayals of design projects that are ready to pass on to clients. Multiple copies can also be easily printed for close examination.”
Holograms help increase visual awareness of a 3D model, particularly for people who are visually challenged, which ultimately increases the collaboration and understanding of the overall design. The "wow" factor of holograms makes them a powerful tool when bidding for a project.
“Providing Revit users with the ability to create holograms from building models adds a new level of sophistication to design visualization,” said Sasha Crotty, Revit Core Product Manager, Autodesk. “We’re glad that the Revit community will be among the first to gain access to this exciting new presentation and design exploration technology.”
With the 3D Hologram Creator plugin for Revit, users can visualize and create their hologram directly within the Revit application and export their design to Zebra Imaging all in a single afternoon. The hologram will then be created at Zebra Imaging’s print center and shipped out anywhere in the world. Most projects are completed within five to seven business days of receiving the order.
Related Stories
AEC Tech | Apr 15, 2016
Should architects learn to code?
Even if learning to code does not personally interest you, the growing demand for having these capabilities in an architectural business cannot be overlooked, writes computational design expert Nathan Miller.
Building Tech | Apr 12, 2016
Should we be worried about a tech slowdown?
Is the U.S. in an innovative funk, or is this just the calm before the storm?
BIM and Information Technology | Apr 8, 2016
Turner streamlines construction progress tracking using predictive visual data analytics
The construction giant teams with a computer science and engineering professor to develop a clever drone- and rover-based construction monitoring tool.
BIM and Information Technology | Apr 5, 2016
Interactive 3D map shows present and future Miami skyline
The Downtown Miami Interactive 3-D Skyline Map lets users see the status of every downtown office, retail, residential, and hotel project.
AEC Tech | Mar 31, 2016
Deep Learning + AI: How machines are becoming master problem solvers
Besides revolutionary changes to the world’s workforce, artificial intelligence could have a profound impact on the built environment and the AEC industry.
Big Data | Mar 28, 2016
Predictive analytics: How design firms can benefit from using data to find patterns, trends, and relationships
Branden Collingsworth, HDR’s new Director of Predictive Analytics, clarifies what his team does and how architecture projects can benefit from predictive analytics.
BIM and Information Technology | Mar 21, 2016
Latest tech devices simplify the leap from BIM to virtual reality
Faster conversion times and higher-quality graphics are enabling VR to make the jump from novelty to necessity in the AEC world.
AEC Tech | Mar 15, 2016
Two to tango: Project Tango isn’t just for entertainment, it also has a wide range of possibilities relating to the professional world
Making things like augmented reality, precise measurements of indoor spaces, and indoor wayfinding possible, Google’s Project Tango has all the makings to become a useful and ubiquitous tool in the AEC market.
BIM and Information Technology | Mar 14, 2016
Visual estimating, generative design, and component construction push the limits of BIM/VDC
DPR Construction, JE Dunn, and The Living advance the AEC industry with three clever tech solutions.
Drones | Mar 9, 2016
A new image-capturing platform mediates drone and cloud technologies
3DRobotics, Autodesk, and Sony launch Site Scan to speed the process of making models from field data.