P3D Re: Re one more use of stereo, Re Stereolithography

[abram klooswyk <abram.klooswyk@xxxxxx>]

DAN VINT wrote (P3D 3175, 24 Jan 99):
>There has been another use of stereo that hasn't been mentioned 
>yet and that is stereo lithography. This was a process that used 
>3D CAD (computer-aided design/drafting) models built as 
>"solid models" (...)

A. In my opinion this _not_ a "use of stereo" similar to
   stereophotography and all its branches.
B. The process not only "was" but _is_ in use. 

To A.: 
Stereolithography is the making of real, solid three-dimensional
objects. This doesn't in my opinion belong to "our family".
If it would, then all model making and in fact all sculpture would be
included in stereoscopy. Puppets, dolls, car-miniatures and all
sculpture
back to the stone age. Is the Venus of Willendorff "use of stereo"?
The hardware of stereoscopic images is flat, it gets in an envelope. 

To B.:
When you type in "stereolithography" in a web search engine you will
soon find out that there is a whole industry involved in it.
One of the fields is medical modeling. With data from computed 
tomographic X-ray scanning, resin models of scale 1:1 can be made,
mostly of bony structures, to be used for operation planning and
fabrication of implants. I have been involved professionally in
some cases. I have seen fine examples made by the company Materialise
in Belgium. A number of web sites show images of scull models and
other structures. It is fascinating and sometimes irreplaceable, but
it isn't stereoscopy IMO.

Abram Klooswyk


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