Turning It into 3D on the Spot: TR-55 Exhibition Report

On August 5, 2026, we exhibited the visual inspection system TR-55 at a private (invitation-only) exhibition hosted by a partner company at its measurement centre in Togo, Aichi Prefecture. Rather than handing out catalogues, we brought the actual unit and demonstrated 3D Surface generation with FORESIGHT STEREO® live on the spot.

Separating colour and shape in a single capture

FORESIGHT STEREO is our 3D imaging technology, developed in-house from Photometric Stereo. From a single capture, it acquires "colour" (2D Texture) and "shape" (3D Surface) separately.

In the demo, we captured objects on the spot and displayed three views side by side on the screen of the GUI application FORESIGHT STEREO Viewer: 2D Texture / 3D Surface / Surface Normal. The same object could be seen at once as a photograph, as a solid form and as the direction of its surface. The reconstructed 3D model could be rotated and zoomed, so visitors could follow the relief of the surface while changing the angle.

One of the subjects we used was a glossy metal coin. Its stamped detail is fine, and in an ordinary 2D image shading and reflection mix together, making the shape hard to read. Once the colour information is separated out, only the relief remains as shape from that mixed appearance.

How a surface looks depends on the object

How a surface looks varies with its material, gloss and the scale of its relief. That is exactly why checking with actual samples is worthwhile.

If you would like a live demo of TR-55 or a check using your own samples, please contact us. https://www.tomomi-research.com/en/contact