Aguru Images Inc., provider of what it believes is the first complete solution for photorealistic digital imagery for the computer graphics industry, launched its technology at SIGGRAPH 2007 in San Diego (booth #1142). Aguru products and services capture and process all possible lighting conditions of real-world textured surfaces for use in 3D computer- generated imagery.
The Aguru exhibit features the 12-foot Aguru Dome, one of three products introduced today.
Craig Miller, co-founder, ceo and cto of Aguru Images, said, "Truly photorealistic digital images are finally achievable without complex, costly and labor-intensive custom processes. Aguru can provide accurate images, even for difficult surface textures, in seconds, compared to the hours and days it currently takes. Filmmakers, computer and video game developers, animators and designers of all types have tools and services that have not been available before."
Saul Orbach, co-founder and coo of Aguru Images, added, "We founded Aguru to do the hardest thing in business: create a simple solution for a truly complex problem. We are excited to be launching Aguru technology at SIGGRAPH where CG artists can see for the first time that achieving reality in digital imagery can indeed be simple."
Aguru's suite of advanced capture devices uses a combination of mirrors, lights and cameras to quickly capture an object from any perspective in any lighting conditions. The products provide a simple to use, cost-effective method of capturing, manipulating and editing photorealistic textured materials. One suite of products offers the complete solution for rendering the entire range of textured surfaces -- from flat surfaces to the most complex surface of all, the human face.
* The Aguru Dome is a spherical imaging device used primarily for the high-fidelity capture of the shape and reflectance properties of the human face. With face capture requiring accuracy beyond any other application, The Dome models faces with millions of polygons and captures reflectance and translucence data of the skin for each polygon. The intensity of The Dome's light enables very rapid and accurate capture.
* The Aguru Scanner provides the highest-fidelity imaging in the world of flat and nearly flat textured objects, capturing the subtleties of shape, translucence and shading. Digital models of objects have unprecedented resolution and are indistinguishable from the original.
* The Aguru Scope provides an efficient method of representing complex materials accurately from any perspective, in any light. The Scope is ideal for quickly capturing the full reflectance range of isolated samples. Compact and portable, it can be used on site, simplifying post-production issues that might arise.
The markets for Aguru products include visual effects in movies, computer and videogames, animation and design for improved renderings by interior, fashion, architectural and industrial designers.
Orbach said, "Film studios can quickly capture the realistic shape and reflectance of an individual's face for a motion picture. Games characters can look more real and behave as they would in real life. Animators can create more subtle characters and environments. Designers can give real-life appearances to models of room interiors, fashion apparel and architectural and industrial structures. Applications span the world of computer graphics."
Aguru plans to make available a library of thousands of photoreal 3D images, stock shaders and shapes that can be downloaded on a licensing basis.
The technology will be generally available in the third quarter of 2007.
Aguru Images (www.aguruimages.com) was founded in 2006 to commercialize highly innovative technologies developed at USC's Institute for Creative Technologies and NYU's Courant Institute as well as other works. The company received funding from ANGLE Technology Ventures. At ANGLE, Aguru's co-founder and coo Saul Orbach served as an Entrepreneur in Residence, executing the entire process that created and funded Aguru.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
