The Project: Making a Virtual Copy of the Bridge
In mid-March 2018, Chico State students enrolled in a special topics class in 3D scanning got hands-on experience scanning a range of local landmarks using a rented FARO® Laser Scanner Focus3D X 330 HDR LiDAR scanner.
The students, led by Computer Animation and Game Development instructor Frank Pereira, wanted to explore LiDAR scanning's use as a production tool for 3D animation and game development.
With only two days to use the rented equipment, students took the opportunity to scan not only Honey Run Covered Bridge, but also Bidwell Mansion and the Paradise Masonic Lodge.
The rented FARO LiDAR scanner being used to scan the underside of Honey Run Covered Bridge (March 2018).
This remarkable treasure trove of digital data allows the Honey Run Covered Bridge to live on in virtual space. It may also help with reconstruction of the bridge, as the scans allow an accurate scale digital representation of the bridge.
We are only beginning our exploration of the scans and will be working over the next year to process and interpret the data more accurately to get the full potential of the scans.
A Look at the Overall Project
The video above shows scans and scanning of Honey Run Covered Bridge by students from Chico State's Computer Animation and Game Development program using a Faro LiDAR scanner. The Honey Run segment runs until 3:44 and is followed by scans of Bidwell Mansion and other Butte County landmarks.
Students participating in the scan work were Jordan Chapin, Brendan Scaramuzzo, Ricardo Cervantes, Joseph Mackey and Xavier Burgueno. Instructor for JOUR 498 was Frank Pereira and teaching assistant was Daniel Cahill.
CAGD students Daniel Cahill, Joseph Mackey and Brendan Scaramuzzo using the Faro LiDAR scanner at Honey Run Covered Bridge in mid-March, 2018.
What the Bridge Scans Look Like
This video is a compilation of the LiDAR scans of the bridge, recorded within the LiDAR software by Frank Pereira.
The Bridge Project in the News
The Honey Run Covered Bridge 3D scanning project was featured in Chico State Today in a May 2018 article entitled "A Virtual Vision of Recovery" by Travis Souders.
A scan capture from the Honey Run Covered Bridge 3D scanning project in March 2018. (Image courtesy of Frank Pereira)
