We’re currently looking at ways to scan objects into a 3D mesh. In point of fact there are many of these, including but not limited to:
- Stereo and multiview imaging
- laser scanning (ie. DAVID laserscanning project or similar)
- structured light (sample software available at http://code.google.com/p/structured-light/downloads/list)
- Kinect depth imaging (actually uses the same principle as the above – but in a convenient reverse-engineered package).
A sample image below: