China's Super Cave
ixtract realizes an animated 3D model of one of the biggest caves in China based on laser scans
(firmenpresse) - Beneath Southern China‘s cone-shaped peaks, arches, and spires lie some of the largest caverns in the world. In 2013, a world-class team of experts set off in order to measure several giant chambers of the network, which up until then remained almost entirely unexplored. As a result of of this research project, National Geographic Magazine is publishing an up-to-date 3D model in their print issue, as well as a facsimile animation in the corresponding iPad app. This animation demonstrates the biggest of the newly discovered chambers of the cave, which can beexplored interactively. The demonstration was implemented by Berlin-based infographic agency ixtract. In prior projects, collaborating with National Geographic, ixtract successfully realized the processing of exclusive expedition material. Like e.g. www.behance.net/gallery/Titanic/3422941 or the current project www.behance.net/gallery/17176215/ixtract-Chinas-Supercave
The interactive cave animation of ixtract can be seen in National Geographic Magazine july's issue and under www.nationalgeographic.com/china-caves/supercave. The expedition measuring the cave system was led by the British cave expert Andrew Eavis (Chairman of the British Caving Association and President of the World Caving Association.) whereat his tasks included among others to deal with the Chinese authorities in order to establish the neccessary preconditions for this expedition. The rest of the team consisted of well-known scientists and investigators, all of them having extensive experience in cave explorations: Tim Allen, Eaviss deputy responsible for logistics, Professor Pete Smart, leading the interpretive element of this expedition, Mark Richardson, Jane Allen, Richard Walters, Dr. Daniela Pani, andCarsten Peter, expedition photographer.
The so-called ,Gebihe cave system‘ includes the ,Miao‘ chamber, whose room, with a maximum height of 109 meters and a length of ca. 852 meters, ranks as the world‘s second-largest underground chamber. The expedition team utilized highly sensitive measuring equipment, allowing mapping of the enormous cave at an unprecedented level of precision, down to the scale of a decimeter. In order to achieve this accuracy, a cutting-edge laser scanner was employed at sixteen reference points inside of this room, generating a total of more than fifteen million measurement points,. Using this data set, the measurements were aggregated to create a cohesive cave map.
Based on these spectacular pictures, Berlin-based infographic agency ixtract sampled a 3D model of this cave. Furthermore, a detailed animation was developed that simulates a flight through Cave Miao, using Peter´s photographs, which were exclusively placed at ixtract‘s disposal by National Geographic. Processing the raw photos, which only show localized parts of the cave, and connecting them to form a fluent, true-to-original animation presented a formidable challenge.
The visualization was not only difficult artistically, but also demanded powerful technical equipment: The rendering time for a version of a flight of ninety seconds amounted to 4.5 days.
This method allows National Geographic readers, once again, to visualize something.that was previously inaccessible, invisible to the human eye. In fact, in Cave Miao, it is so dark that the on-site researchers themselves were not able to visually examine the ceiling; the spotlights were simply not strong enough. “We were the first ones to bring light into the darkness, enabling everybody to take part - even if they didn‘t attend - the expedition,” says Stefan Fichtel, the Creative Director at ixtract.
National Geographic Magazine, and the participants of the caving expedition, are highly satisfied with the final result of the visualization, especially Peter, the photographer himself: ‘Extraordinary! I love the scanning gaps too, otherwise you would take it for real... Amazing!‘
Themen in dieser Pressemitteilung:
Unternehmensinformation / Kurzprofil:
ixtract - visual knowledge transfer
ixtract offers custom made solutions for cogent communication through many branches. Whether the information should be presented in a printed or digital, animated or interactive way, we understand how to awaken interest upon first glance and sustainably place information in the mind.
Datum: 19.06.2014 - 19:14 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 333086
Anzahl Zeichen: 4097
contact information:
Contact person: Stefan Fichtel
Town:
Berlin
Phone: +49 30 225 027 631 10
Kategorie:
Media & Enternainment
Typ of Press Release: Erfolgsprojekt
type of sending: Veröffentlichung
Date of sending: 20.06.2014
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"China's Super Cave"
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ixtract GmbH (Nachricht senden)
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