Reconstructing 3D spacial data has long been possible, but convincing the average consumer of that would be another chore entirely. In the future, however, it may be simpler to believe. A crew of researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology are hard at work developing a new system that "quickly creates 3D spacial data from photos taken with a digital camera." According to Assistant Professor Akihito Torii, the method can use JPEGs from a conventional point-and-shoot camera - no specialized equipment needed - which are then shot over to a PC via a wireless Eye-Fi SD card.
Engadget , Japanese research group concocts 3D restoration magic from regular photos (video), Japanese research group concocts 3D restoration magic from regular photos (video)
