Tesi and his Eyetronics team visited 30 stadiums in Florida and Arizona during 2006 spring training to scan up to a hundred players per day at five minutes a scan. Pitcher Curt Schilling is seen above.

According to Tesi, "We had to visit 30 stadiums in Florida and Arizona during 2006 spring training and scan up to a hundred players a day at some locations, and we had to complete each scan within five minutes." While it is true that the development of the RotoScanner reduced scanning time from ShapeCam's 20 minutes per person to only three minutes, the RotoScanner was developed specifically to automate the scanning of full bodies. But the MLBPA contract presented yet another problem: it required full head scans.

This challenged the Eyetronics team to develop a similar automated solution for scanning full heads in large groups, thus extending the RotoScanner's ability. It also gave Eyetronics the ability to win the MLBPA contract "hands down over the competition," as Tesi puts it. "MLBPA said that nobody matched our quality or speed."

Eyetronics beat out competitors during a test scan last year. Eyetronics had the fastest time and the best quality images. Above is "Big Hurt" Frank Thomas' scanned head.

Eyetronics ceo Dirk Callaerts details how that entire test process took place: "MLB, together with Sony Interactive and 2K Sports, organized a 'test scanning' in November last year. The place was the Fairmont Hotel in Santa Monica. Eyetronics as well as some other competitors were invited to come, all at different times with the scanning equipment that was to be used for the MLB scanning during the 2006 spring training. MLB had a large suite in the hotel, and we were supposed to set up the equipment as fast as we could. This was timed. Then we had to scan five people, which was also timed, and finally we had to pack everything and leave, which was also timed. Within two weeks after the scanning, we had to deliver our scan data to Sony and 2K Sports. We had the fastest setup/break-up time...and our scans had the best quality, highest realism and cleanest high-resolution textures."

In fact, the quality of Eyetronics scans prompted John Olshan, MLBPA's category director for interactive games, to comment, "We selected Eyetronics for this project after an exhaustive review process because their graphics are drop dead beautiful and they have extensive experience working with high profile celebrities. They also provided innovative solutions to all of our concerns with respect to scanning a large number of people in a short period of time under unpredictable and often adverse conditions."

Although it might seem complicated, Tesi says that their technology is basically very simple. "Projecting a grid, light shape -- those are not complex concepts. But the magic at Eyetronics comes from our software background. Every one of our processes has a corresponding software solution that makes that particular technology work and work really well. This is our competitive edge and what sets us apart from others."

Eyetronics' technology is really very simple. The whole magic at Eyetronics comes from its software background. Outfielder J.D. Drew appears above.

Eyetronics develops its proprietary software, which is mainly based on its patented ShapeSnatcher technology, in Leuven, Belgium. There the company constantly innovates its scanning technology to tackle new challenges. "In 1998, the ShapeSnatcher technology was developed, but this was based on a digital camera and a slide projector setup," states Callaerts. "In 2001, we innovated this setup into a portable ShapeCam, where the slide projector was replaced by a flash unit. The portable system made it possible for Eyetronics to enter the on-site scanning services for feature movies, computer games, commercials, etc. But then came the demand for scanning larger groups (crowds). With the ShapeCam, this takes a considerable amount of time, so then Eyetronics developed the RotoScanner."

Now with the conversion of RotoScanner for Major League Baseball so that it can perform rapid yet extremely accurate head scans of large groups, the bar for computer games has been raised across the board. But don't expect it to remain there for any length of time, given Eyetronics' propensity for innovation.

J. Paul Peszko is a freelance writer and screenwriter living in Los Angeles. He writes various features and reviews as well as short fiction. He has a feature comedy in development and has just completed his second novel. When he isn't writing, he teaches communications courses.