Abstract: A system and method for acquiring the three-dimensional shape of an object. At least one camera captures a scene in which a projected pattern is moved across an object and reference surface. The movement of said pattern need not be perfectly uniform, because differences in the movement at each step are detected and compensated. This compensation reduces the required hardware complexity and cost.

Abstract: A system and method for acquiring the three-dimensional shape of an object. At least one camera captures a scene in which a projected pattern is moved across an object and reference surface. The movement of said pattern need not be perfectly uniform, because differences in the movement at each step are detected and compensated. This compensation reduces the required hardware complexity and cost.

Abstract: A structured light 3D scanner comprising multiple pattern projectors each projecting a unique pattern onto an object by passing radiation through a stationary imaging substrate and one or more cameras for capturing the projected patterns in sequence. A processor processes the projected patterns based on a predetermined separation between the cameras. The processor uses this information to determine the deviation between the projected patterns and the reflected patterns captured by the camera or cameras. The deviation may be used to determine the three dimensional surface geometry of the object within the capture volume of the cameras. Surface geometry may be used to create a point cloud with each point representing a location on the surface of the object with respect to the 3D scanner.