Technological advancements in the real world are many a times preceded by a preview in movies. At that stage they are not preview but fictional ideas that form a part of the story’s plot. Something similar can be said about the 3D scanner shown in the Russian movie Generation P.
The 3D scanner developed for the movie by a private design firm named Art Lebedev Studio is very futuristic, simple yet sophisticated. The monumental design has six vertical structures arranged in a circular position with the object placement area in the center. Coming up, with the design and look of the scanner, was a long process with various options being scoured.
Since the movie deals basically with the scanning of humans it was initially decided to have a seating arrangement with the scanner appearing right in front of the face of the person. After a lot of sketches and brain storming a decision was arrived at creating a scanner with a standing position for the person. The final design incorporated a both standing and sitting option. The six light emitting scanners enclosing an area with the person standing in between gave the entire ensemble a futuristic appeal.
A 3D scanner is used to scan an object to come up with data regarding its shape and appearance. The Generation P design achieves this goal by six scanning points and a pair of head and shoulder braces. The adjustable braces register any movement on the part of the object, the human figure in the scanner.
Generation P is based on the third novel of Russian author Victor Pelevin published in 1999. The movie is set in immediate post-Soviet Russia times when issues like consumerism, recreational drugs and Mesopotamian mythology were rampant. It revolves around the life of a Moscow based advertising copywriter Babylen Tatarsky who found his true calling in creating Russian versions of western advertisements. As he climbed up the corporate ladder, he realized that all ‘real’ events broadcast on TV were in fact fabrications and digitized images but he failed to understand the force behind the entire plot. At the peak of the corporate pyramid he discovers that the hidden force to be that of the goddess Ishtar. Eventually, through a ritual sacrifice, Tatarsky’s 3D double becomes the goddess’ new regent as her bridegroom. Towards the end he too is part of the illusion that he had once tried to look through.
Generation P hit the Russian theatres in April, 2011 after five long years of work. Work had started on the project in 2006 which included the designing of the scanner as well.
There are more of such concepts that you will like to learn about such as Portable Barcode Scanner, Business Card Scanner and 3D Scanner App.
