edddison for projection tables gives you the possiblity to control your 3D Model with tangible objects on a floor plan.

To control your 3D software with tangible objects, you can use the edddison projection table or edddison tabletop in combination with tangible objects.

An edddison marker is a printed label (like a barcode) that is attached on a control object. The markers are then read by a camera.

Adding markers to any tangible object generates a control object that can be used in edddison. These real figures can be produced with a 3D printer, a laser cutter or by adding markers to existing figures (e.g. toys).

THE PROJECTOR TABLE CONCEPT:

A projector projects a floor plan onto a glass slab. The glass is covered with a rear projection film. A camera and IR LED stripes are mounted under the glass. The camera looks through the glass and tracks the printed marker on a control object.

In this Tutorial we are going to show you how to build your own projection table to use with edddison!

If you want to start more lightweight and with supplies you have lying at home, just follow this tutorial here: https://www.instructables.com/id/Edddison-Tabletop...

More Info about edddison: http://docs.edddison.com/en/latest/
More Info about the edddison hardware options: http://docs.edddison.com/en/latest/

Supplies

edddison projection kit or your own hardware
- camera
- camera bracket
- rear projection film
- LED IR stripes and brackets
- basic control object (little eddd)
- USB cable
- chassis connectors
- marker stickers
Projector
PC with Projection Screen (for 3D Model) or Laptop
Housing with a glass slab
edddison editor license (14 day trial for free) https://www.edddison.com
3D Model (Unreal Demo Project for example)

Step 1: Components: edddison Projection Kit or Your Own Hardware

You will need either the edddison projection kit or your own hardware

Your own hardware should be:

A Camera

Every camera connected to a Windows computer running edddison works. Using a better camera will result in better tracking and the possibility to use smaller markers.

edddison works very good with IDS high-quality cameras. Webcams have lower image quality and need bigger markers. Make some tests using your webcam to figure out the appropriate paper size and marker size.

Every camera comes with its own drivers, so we cannaot guarantee that they will work. We have cerificated two cameras from IDS. To purchase these go to https://en.ids-imaging.com and order worldwide.

Rear projection film

You can buy this in every hardware store and cut it to your liking: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331331767619

LED IR stripes

You can buy this in every hardware store. Have a look that the light is homoegenous. (See Step Illumination for reference)

Basic control object (little eddd)

Be creative. You can use whatever object you can find (toys, little wooden pieces etc.), as long as the marker can be applied on a straight surface. You can download files for printing in the download area on the website.

If you buy the edddison projection kit or the edddison tabletop, there will be a little figure (little eddd) included. Obviously, you can also design your own objects and print them with a 3D printer.

If you have 3D Printer we provide 3D Files of little eddd on our homepage: https://www.edddison.com/downloads-demo-2/?slug=3d...

USB cable

Marker stickers

A easy solution is to print markers on stickers. E.g. use Herma labels. Herma No. 5067 Ø 60mm diameter labels No. 5066 Ø 40mm Lables, Ø 30 mm, white No. 4387 30mm
Many other companies are offering such stickers too. e.g. Apli https://apli.com

You can also just print them on white paper and glue them onto your objects.

More details on how to do that will be given in the next steps.

Step 2: Components: the Projector

You can use your favorite projector for your projection table, but there are still a few things to consider when deciding on a projector. Make sure your projector is able to focus on the projection screen. The focus distance is measured from the lens to the projection screen. If you include one or more mirrors, this distance becomes bigger. Furthermore, makes sure the size of the projection fits the size of your glass slab. Depending on the size of your projection table, you may need a wide angle projector.

Note: Take care that your projector is not too bright, otherwise it will be blending you. There are two ways of mounting your projector inside the case: with a mirror or vertically so it points directly at the glass slab. If you use a mirror or not depends on your projector and on how your housing is constructed.

Tips for projectors

In general you can use short throw projectors or a normal lens and a mirror.
Mirrors: Use a optical front surface mirror or you will get a double image.
A perfect device is for example InFocus IN138HDST
Minimum throw distance. E.g. 0,5m
Image Projection size: A big table has an bad ergonomic and you need a wide angel lens for the tracking camera. This requires bigger markers.
Throw Ratio: About 0,5 is a good valueShould not be to bright (approx 1000 to 3,000 lumens)
Back projection (flip image) possibility
If possible do not use Keystone Correction. It lowers the quality.

Step 3: Components: Housing With Glass Slab

The housing can have any shape you like. Here, once again there are a few things to consider.

First, you should get a clear idea, how you want to use it. Should people stand while presenting or sit? Will kids be using it too? Might wheelchair users want to use it? All of these questions influence the design and the measurements of your projection table.

Furthermore, you should think about the size of the projects you want to present. Bigger does not always mean better. If your table is too big, it might not be usable any more. Remember, you should be able to reach everything on the table without changing your position.

Step 4: Building the Table - Position

Standing position

The perfect height is between 90 and 110 cm / 35 and 43 in, the maximum size should be no bigger than 60×100 cm / 23.5×40 in. It is also a good idea to have the housing inclined on at least one side, so you can stand closer to it. Otherwise you can also let the work surface overlap for around 10 cm / 4 in or construct arecessed base, similar to what is used for kitchen counters.

Sitting position

To use your projection table in a sitting position, it should not be higher than 75 cm / 29.5 in. This time it is not enough to incline one side, because your legs need more space in a sitting position than while standing. You should consider constructing a real table, or build your projection table into an existing worktable. Usually, this height is also suited for children. Just emember that kids cannot reach as far with their arms, so 60×100 cm / 23.5×40 in is already way too big.

Step 5: Building the Table - Glass Slab (or Plexi)

The glass slab will be used as the navigation area. Later on, you will place your tangible objects on the glass slab to navigate through the project. Therefore, the glass slab should not be too thick; between 4 and 6 mm / 0.16 and 0.24 inch is ideal.

Use transparent glass; to avoid reflections on the glass surface you could use reflection free glass. For safety reasons, use toughened safety glass to avoid splintering in the case of accident.

Plexiglass

Note: Plexiglass is not suitable because it scratches easily. This Scratches will become problematic for marker recognition. IF you use it anyways please take note: Make sure not to use too thick Plexiglas, because the distortion-effect can cause problems in marker recognition. The MRI is made so that markers will only be recognized directly on the table (rear projection film) and some mm overhead to avoid false positives. The thinner the plexiglass the better.

A possible solution is to use thin glas and double it up on the borders with a plexiglass-frame.

Size of the glass or plexiglass slab

It is a good idea to have some kind of frame around your projection area. This way, you have some space to put your hands or objects that you don' t need at the moment. If you don' t want to build a frame around the glass slab, you can also just set the projector so the picture is a bit smaller than the glass slab. If you do this, turn off the outside recognition in the edddison editor.

Step 6: Building the Table - Rear Projection Film

The rear projection film enables the projection to be seen on the glass slab. However, it must be see through enough that the camera can still recognize your markers.

Note: The rear projection film is put on the side that is facing the projector.

Apply the rear projection film

Note: In order to get the best result, find someone to help you with this.
IMPORTANT: Fix „Rear Projection film“ under (beneath) the glass slab!

Tools
To apply the rear projection film correctly, you need the following tools: a spray bottle,spray liquid (mixture of water and a few drops of dish-washing detergent)a felt-tip squeegee.

Preparation
Thoroughly clean the glass plate. It is important to make sure that there is no dust, dirt or oils on the side to which the film shall be applied. Installation temperature between 10°C and 20°C.

Application

Note: * Be careful not to crease the film. * The film goes on the back of the glass plate. (The side facing the projector).

Moisten the cleaned glass plate.
Then remove the film from the release liner (place the film face down on the table and carefully pull the release liner away).
Next, spray the exposed adhesive surface of the film.
Finally, lay the film on the plate (the adhesive surface on the glass) and position it correctly. It is better when someone helps you apply the film. Make sure that there is enough liquid between the film and the plate that the film can be moved back and forth.
Use the squeegee to press the film onto the plate. Always start from the middle and push toward the edges. This will squeeze any air and liquid from under the film out to the sides.

Finishing

Sometimes the adhesive can leave milky streaks. These will go away on their own once the liquid under the film has evaporated. The same is true of small air bubbles. In the case of larger air bubbles, use a needle to pop the bubbles and then press the film down again.

Assembly

Wait at least 12 hours before mounting the glass plate. Trim the film to fit the shape of the plate.

Removal for exchange

Use a hair dryer to remove the film. Heat the film briefly and then start to peel the film away from one corner. Now you can pull the whole film off.

Step 7: Building the Table - Illumination - LED IR Stripes

The LED infrared stripes are used to light your table from the inside. The camera included in the edddison projection kit has a daylight filter, so the projection is invisible to the camera. The markers on the glass plate are illuminated with the included LED IR stripes. Mount the LED stripes ca. 30cm / 12 in under the glass slab and direct them to the glass, so the whole surface is lighted.

Check illumination

You have to ensure that there is homogeneous illumination over a relatively large area. The image recognition system calculates the average of bright and dark spots in the preview and adjusts the brightness on the basis of this value. If a bright spot is found, the surrounding area will be made darker and this can lead to recognition errors.

Place a sheet of white paper on the navigation surface so you can see the distribution of the infrared light. Take your mobile phone and use its camera to check whether the LED is working.
The camera image should not be too bright. The ideal brightness can be seen on the picture above, the picture on the right is far too bright.

Note: Some mobile phone cameras have an IR filter and thus do not see the infrared light.

Step 8: Building the Table - Mount Camera

Mount the camera on the bottom of your projection table. Make sure there is nothing between the camera and the glass slab; otherwise markers might be invisible for the camera. Also, make sure the camera does not cast a shadow on the projection surface.

Step 9: Finish the Housing

Before putting the glass slab on the housing, mount the chassis connectors from the edddison projection kit. You will need them later on to plug the camera and the projector to your PC. Also, make sure to leave ventilation openings, so your projector doesn' t overheat. Furthermore, make sure to put handles on your housing, so you can move it around later on. If you need to move your projection table a lot, wheels might be a good idea, too.

Step 10: Make an Edddison Project

Now that you have the edddison projection table you can either make your own edddison project using:

3D Software (Unity / Unreal Engine / 3DS Max Interactive / Autodesk Navisworks / Tecnomatix Plant Simulation / Sketchup
3D Model
edddison plugin for the 3D Software
edddison editor license (14 Day Trial)

For detailed information on how to do that go to: http://docs.edddison.com/en/latest/

For this tutorial we are just going to download the ready-built Unreal Engine Demo.

Go to https://www.edddison.com/downloads-demo-2/?slug=en...
Download "edddison Unreal Farnsworth Demo"
Log in to the edddison dashboard and get the software and license: http://docs.edddison.com/en/latest/dashboard/
Install the edddison software
Open the Unreal demo .exe, edddison will start automatically with it
Add License
Import edddison project file (in the Demo Folder)

Afterwards follow this very detailed tutorial to set up the software: http://docs.edddison.com/en/latest/controllers/con...

Its super easy!

It will tell you how to set up and configure your table, print your markers, etc.!