Static panorama-based virtual panorama production and application (1)

Abstract: Virtual panorama technology based on static images is a kind of primary virtual reality technology that can be realized on a microcomputer platform. It enables people to perform 360-degree panoramic viewing on the Internet and experience 3D VR visual world. This article describes the virtual panorama technology based on still images, panoramic photography techniques, seamless splicing techniques, web publishing techniques, and its application in the industry.

Keywords: static image, virtual panorama, production technology, application

Static image-based virtual panoramic technology is a kind of primary virtual reality technology that can be implemented on a microcomputer platform. It has the characteristics of low development cost, but its application is very extensive. Therefore, it has attracted more and more attention. Especially with the development of network technology, its superiority is more prominent. It has changed the characteristics of the plainness of traditional networks, allowing people to perform 360-degree panoramic viewing on the Internet, and through interactive operations, it can achieve free browsing and experience three-dimensional VR visual world.

This article describes in detail the static panorama-based virtual panoramic technology, panoramic photography techniques, seamless splicing techniques, network publishing techniques and its typical applications in the industry.

I. Virtual Panorama Technology Overview

(A) Panoramic Photography and Virtual Panorama

A panoramic image refers to a photograph that is larger than the normal effective viewing angles of both eyes (approximately 90 degrees horizontally, and vertically 70 degrees) or the residual eye of both eyes (approximately 180 degrees horizontally, 90 degrees vertically), or even 360 degrees of complete scene range.

Panoramic photography is a panoramic image in which a group of photos taken with a camera ring at 360 degrees is seamlessly processed. Now with the actual needs of people, the meaning of panoramic photography has also changed. A group of photos taken at a large angle (not necessarily 360 degrees) or a group of photos taken at 360 degrees of the camera ring are stitched after processing. The resulting image is called a panoramic image.

Then use a certain network technology to display the panoramic image on the Internet, and have a strong interactivity, so that you can use the mouse to control the direction of looking around, can be left or right, can be up and down, can be near far, can be Small, it gives you the feeling of immersiveness and calls it virtual panorama.

(B) Classification of Virtual Panorama Technology

For several years, virtual panoramic technology has evolved from simple cylindrical panoramas to spherical panoramas, panoramic objects, and more.

Columnar panorama: Columnar panorama is the simplest panorama virtual. The so-called cylindrical panorama, you can look around the horizontal 360 degrees (or a large angle), but if you use the mouse to drag up and down, the upper and lower vision will be limited, you can not see the zenith, can not see Ground. This is because the vertical angle of view of a photograph taken with a normal camera is less than 180 degrees. Obviously this photo is not ideal.

Spherical panorama: The spherical panoramic view is 360 degrees horizontal, 180 degrees vertical, and full view. It can be said that you have integrated into the virtual environment. The production of spherical panoramic photos is more professional. First, two photos must be taken with a professional fisheye lens, and then they should be stitched together with special software to create a spherical panoramic image. Finally, the panoramic photos are embedded in your web pages. In the United States, not all production software supports spherical panoramas. Some professional companies provide a full set of hardware and software equipment for spherical panorama production, but the price is expensive.

Cube Panorama: Another mosaic technology that achieves a panoramic perspective. It breaks the original single spherical panorama assembly technique, allowing you to piece together panoramic views with higher precision and higher storage efficiency. The production of cube panorama photos is also more complicated. When you first take photos, you have to take down, forward, back, left, and right, but you can use ordinary digital cameras to shoot, but ordinary cameras take a lot of photos (finally spelling six photos), and then Then use dedicated software (such as 3D Vista Business Edition) to stitch them together to create a panoramic image of the cube and finally embed the panorama in your web page.

Object Panorama: The object panorama is aimed at e-commerce on the Internet. The main difference between it and scenery panorama is: aiming at the shooting object (if you want to shoot the car, the car is the object), turn the object, rotate every angle, take a picture, complete in sequence. Then use the player's panoramic playback software and embed them in your web page and publish it to your website.

Spherical video: This is a full-motion, full-view, panoramic virtual with sound, the United States has launched its top products (such as pixmaker pro commercial version, 3Dvista commercial version supports video synthesis), the effect is very good, but unfortunately, currently The lack of network bandwidth, dozens of downloads of M makes people unbearable.

(III) Comparison of Virtual Panorama Display Plugins

Java Applet: The advantage is that there is no need to download the plug-in, the file size is small and the download is fast, and it is the most commonly used panoramic display plug-in. However, it also has its disadvantages, that is, the smaller size, the image quality is slightly worse, there is a sense of jitter when the dynamic display, not very continuous, does not support Windows XP.

QTVR: Its advantage is the best image quality, sharing plug-ins with other Web3D or video playback, and supporting cubic panorama. The disadvantage is the need to download the plug-in Quicktime, suitable for presentation on the local host, there is a special file format (.MOV), special tools for production tools, requires quicktime VR authoring studio, but the use is extremely common.

Shockwave3d: Its advantages are good image quality, small file size, and sharing plug-ins with other Web3D. The disadvantage is the need to download the plug-in Shockwave Player, Shockwave Director player and Flash player. Although it is necessary to download plug-ins, it is extremely common.

Imove: The advantage is that the image quality is good and large-format panoramas can be made. The disadvantage is the need to download the plug-in, the file size is slightly larger. Its panorama is a special file format, 3DMAX or 3DVIZ can output this file format (.PAN).