Shining EinStar 3D Scanner

The Einstar 3D scanner by Shining 3D is an affordable light (500 g) handheld 3D scanner that allows users with any level of experience to obtain high quality 3D models by collecting high density point cloud data with a point distance of up to 0.1 mm at a speed of up to 14 frames per second.

Video 1: The Einstar 3D scanner. Source: Shining 3D.

In its standard version, the Einstar 3D scanner comes with the EXStar software as well as a light carrying case containing numerous accessories - a silicone case, a user guide, positioning markers, a lens cloth, a carrying strap, a USB cable and, of course, the power supply.

Image 1: The EinStar 3D scanner kit contents. Source: Shining 3D.

Thanks to the built-in RGB color camera the EinStar 3D scanner is capable of faithfully rendering the authentic colors of the scanned object. Another attractive feature that comes with the EinStar handheld scanner is the integrated enhancement technology. It optimizes the point cloud to get the most complete data picture possible. Data that could not be obtained is visualized red or yellow, instead of just a blank space where the data would be - another time saving feature.

Image 2: The advanced features of the EinStar 3D scanner ensure high data quality in all scanning conditions. Source: Shining 3D.

The EinStar 3D scanner is also equipped with three infrared VCSEL projectors and two stereo depth cameras. These enable the scanner to capture clear scanning data and generate stable outputs even if the scanning is taking place outdoors in bright or insufficient light, or if the scanned object is dark or glossy. The infrared projectors and stereo depth cameras also allow the user to scan from different distances depending on the size of the scanned object and the desired level of detail. The EinStar 3D scanner can yield great results with working distances of 160-1400 mm, the optimal recommended working distance being 400 mm.

Image 3: The anatomy of the EinStar 3D scanner. Source: Shining 3D.

The EinStar 3D can also be used to successfully scan humans, facial features and even hair thanks to the special hair mode. No light is projected from the scanner during the scanning process, which makes it safe and comfortable for the scanning of faces. The interface is made up of two indicators and three buttons. The indicators show the working distance and the scanner status, and the three buttons allows the user to zoom in/brighten and zoom out/darken (the same buttons), as well as preview/scan/pause.

The EXStar scanning software is very minimalistic and straightforward, and it allows the user to create projects, choose scanning modes (object or portrait), modes of alignment for portrait and object scanning (texture, feature, hybrid, markers), object size for object scanning, scanning resolution, brightness, working distance and many more.

Video 2: Scanning an object with texture with the EinStar 3D scanner. Source: Shining 3D.

The scanning experience with the EinStar 3D scanner is extremely smooth and the device is easy to use even for children thanks to the smart tracking and automatic alignment features, the intelligent algorithms, the easy plug-and-play setup (only one USB cable for power and data transmission), as well as ergonomic design. The scanner can be used both indoors as well as outdoors. That together with the various scanning modes and multiple data format outputs make the EinStar handheld 3D scanner a great tool in many environments, such as culture and art, digital archiving, education, design, entertainment, VR and AR, as well as reverse engineering and 3D printing. The compatibility of the EinStar 3D scanner with 3D printers and 3D design softwares can make it a valuable addition to any 3D printing workflow.