Blog Posts

Week 7 Peer Review & Technical Progress

This week, our team participated in the Peer Design Review (PDR) session, where we presented our complete O2A pipeline to other IPPD teams. The feedback was very positive, many appreciated the technical depth of our project and the end-to-end structure of the pipeline. The discussion also gave us valuable insights and suggestions to refine our presentation for the official PDR next week.

On the technical side, we made exciting progress exploring new models for Structure-from-Motion (SfM). We tested the DUSt3R model and successfully visualized 3D point clouds, which was an incredible milestone seeing our captured objects reconstructed in 3D gave a real sense of the pipeline coming together.

We also began experimenting with a new method for object isolation using depth extraction techniques to separate the main object from the background. This step will be crucial for improving reconstruction quality and making the pipeline more robust to real-world scenes.

As we continue testing, we’re gaining a clearer understanding of the full pipeline flow, identifying edge cases, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. Each iteration is helping us fine-tune the process and move closer to a seamless, mobile-to-3D asset creation experience.

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WEEK 6 – First Segmentation Trials and COLMAP Implementation

This week, Team VOXEL advanced two core parts of the O2A pipeline.

On segmentation, the team tested zero-shot approaches (MobileSAM and SAM2) on single-object sequences. Early findings showed that presenting multiple candidate masks and letting the user confirm with a single click improves reliability.

On reconstruction, the team ran an initial COLMAP → 3D Gaussian Splatting workflow from video frames. Results highlighted the need to apply foreground masks early, especially for challenging cases like transparent objects.

The high-level architecture diagram was updated to reflect the current flow from capture and preprocessing through segmentation, mapping, 3D construction, texturing, and Unity export.

Next, the team will continue comparing SAM variants, test 3D reconstruction under varied object/background conditions, explore alternative 3D paths such as Instant-NGP. With the PDR just around the corner, the upcoming weeks promise to bring sharper results, clearer comparisons, and the first polished demos of the O2A pipeline.

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WEEK5 – Finalizing Our Pipeline

This week marked an important milestone for Team VOXEL as we moved from planning into structured execution of the O2A (Object to Asset) project.

Our biggest accomplishment was finalizing the pipeline structure that will drive our mobile-to-3D asset creation framework. The pipeline includes segmentation, depth estimation, NeRF/iLRM-based 3D reconstruction, mesh cleanup and optimization, Unity integration, and final 3D asset export. By dividing these technologies among team members, we set ourselves up to progress in parallel, ensuring each part of the pipeline receives focused attention.

We also submitted our Preliminary Design Report (PDR), which documents the motivation, scope, customer needs, technical performance measures, and concept generation process for the project. The PDR captures our vision of democratizing 3D asset creation through smartphones, reducing the process from hours to minutes, and enabling user-generated content across VR/MR, gaming, sales, and education.

On the technical front, we began preparing small-scale tests for segmentation and depth estimation using tools like Mask2Former, SAM2, and ZoeDepth. At the same time, we refined our dataset assumptions and shared them with our liaison for feedback.

Looking ahead, our focus will shift toward implementing an initial proof-of-concept pipeline, expanding Unity testing with prototype assets, and preparing draft slides for the upcoming Preliminary Design Presentation. With the pipeline in place and the PDR submitted, our project remains on track, and we’re excited to see the first tangible results emerge in the weeks ahead.

WEEK4 – RESEARCH and DESIGN

This week our team focused on laying the foundation for the O2A (Object to Asset) project. We spent time researching cutting-edge segmentation and depth estimation models which will be key to isolating objects and reconstructing them in 3D. Alongside the research, we finalized our first pipeline architecture diagram, drafted a roadmap of ideas, and defined initial prototype tasks that will kick things off with segmentation and masking. We also updated our project roadmap with new checkpoints to keep everything aligned with our liaison’s expectations.

Looking ahead, we’re shifting gears into development. Next week we’ll be finalizing the roadmap after coach and liaison feedback, starting our proof-of-concept implementation with segmentation and a NeRF baseline, and preparing draft slides for the Preliminary Design Presentation. We’ll also begin exploring Unity integration to test how our outputs behave in a real game engine environment. With the planning phase wrapping up, we’re excited to move into hands-on building and see the first version of our pipeline come to life.

WEEK 3 – COACH AND LIAISON MEET

This week, our team had the opportunity to meet with both our coach and our AGIS liaison engineer. We shared our finalized team name Voxel and logo, which symbolizes our focus on transforming 2D inputs into 3D assets. We also discussed our assigned team roles, initial requirements, specifications, and stakeholder model. Our coach guided us on organizing responsibilities and setting up recurring meetings, while our liaison provided valuable feedback on our requirements and specifications, emphasizing the importance of user experience, realistic benchmarks, and explainability in our pipeline.

During the liaison meeting, we gained deeper clarity on the technical and business expectations for the O2A project. Arjun Singh and Ian Swanson highlighted potential approaches beyond NeRF, such as Gaussian Splatting, and encouraged us to begin prototyping early while keeping the system modular and sustainable for future updates. They also stressed the need for performance considerations, from processing time to asset usability in Unity. We concluded the meeting by aligning on recurring meeting schedules and next steps, and we are now working on refining our requirements and preparing to move from research into initial prototyping.

WEEK 2 – MEET THE TEAM

Gainesville, FL, USA – SEP 5 2025: Building ideas together, first virtual meeting with the O2A project team!

Hello everyone, welcome to our team’s blog page! We will be working with AGIS AI. on the O2A (Object to Asset) project, which focuses on building a framework that transforms smartphone-captured images and videos into optimized 3D assets. These assets can then be used in gaming, VR/MR platforms, education, and even enterprise applications. Throughout the year, we will be documenting our journey, progress, and milestones here on this page.

This week, we met as a team for the first time in class on Tuesday and spent time getting familiar with the scope of work for our project. Later in the week, we held our initial team meeting where we discussed the project’s objectives, assigned team roles, brainstormed potential names and logos, and set up recurring weekly meetings. On Friday, we also met with our coach (Dr. Catia Silva) to review the project expectations and gather feedback on our initial plans.

Next week, we will be meeting with the AGIS liaison engineer to gain a deeper understanding of the technical expectations, tools, and workflows that will guide our development process.

Our team members:

  • Teja Kolla (Team Leader)
  • Shree Varaa Mangai Venkat Ramanujam (Meeting Scribe)
  • Naveen Paladugu (Template Manager)
  • Nikhil Reddy Sareddy (Web / Blog Editor)
  • Yoonki Lee (Meeting Timekeeper)
  • Santhi Daggubati (Finance and Meeting Facilitator)