The entire project is completely automated and available as open-source
Thanks to advanced computational methods, 3D scanning can be used to create real-life, three-dimensional computer models of almost any object. To do so, one would need good programming skills along with some advanced hardware setup – things most of us aren’t willing to invest time in as it involves a time-consuming photo capturing process.
However, there’s an alternative way. To make a DIY 3D scanner, an Android phone, a stepper motor and an Arduino board are simply required. Best of all, the entire project is completely open-source.
Capturing images one at a time
A rotating base operated by a stepper motor is controlled by Arduino Uno and ULN2003 driver board. Upon this base, an object is placed that has to undergo 3D scanning. The communication is carried on WiFi through a simple TCP channel.
By taking approximately 180 images automatically via a Python script running on an Android phone, all of them are combined in the Meshroom, a free, open-source 3D reconstruction software, in order to create a 3D model that is identical to the actual object. As a result, this automated 3D scanner effectively saves huge amounts of time and cost.
All the source code and 3D model files are available on Thingiverse.
Source: Arduino blog
