Meta's Reality Labs Research has released the Digital Twin Catalogue (DTC), a dataset of over 2,400 highly detailed 3D object models, aimed at accelerating research in 3D reconstruction for e-commerce and immersive reality applications.
The DTC features sub-millimeter-level accurate 3D models of common household objects, including toys and kitchen utensils. These models boast highly photorealistic qualities, capturing intricate geometry and material properties. Meta employed a state-of-the-art scanning rig from Covision Media to achieve this unprecedented level of detail.
James Fort, Reality Labs Research Product Manager at Meta, emphasised the importance of data in advancing machine learning-based methods for 3D reconstruction. "As with all machine learning-based methods, data will be a key to further progress in 3D reconstruction for the entire computer vision community," Fort stated.
The dataset's release addresses a significant gap in the field, where the cost of creating such high-quality training datasets has been prohibitively expensive for the academic community. The DTC aims to bridge this gap, enabling researchers to accelerate the development of new reconstruction techniques.
Meta has partnered with Shopify, a leading global commerce company, to further propel object reconstruction research. This partnership aims to result in the addition of over 7,000 digital twins to the dataset, through an upcoming academic competition.
Matt Koenig, a product lead working on 3D support at Shopify, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: "This partnership with Meta is a natural extension of our commitment to innovation. By teaming up, we aim to make high-quality 3D digital assets more accessible and easier to create for entrepreneurs."
The collaboration extends to Shopify merchants, including high-end furniture retailer Arhaus Furniture. Steve Bauer, senior vice president of e-commerce and digital at Arhaus, highlighted the potential impact: "We believe 3D technology has a valuable place in the future of the home furnishings industry, which is why we're excited to be partnering with Meta."