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So last WE, I went down into the Catacombs of Paris. If you& #39;re not familiar, it& #39;s an insane anthill-like network of 200 mi. of galleries and chambers, centuries-old, 60 ft beneath the surface. @NewYorker wrote about it in 2019: https://www.newyorker.com/news/dispatch/the-invisible-city-beneath-paris.">https://www.newyorker.com/news/disp... Here& #39;s a short story.
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The goal was to 3D scan as many places as possible, using only the iPhone 12 Pro/LiDAR (and two powerful LED lights). And so we spent 12 hrs underground, walking (or crawling) more than 20 miles, and scanning 30 different places using @Scaniverse, @PolycamAI, and @Sitescape
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All scans were uploaded to @Sketchfab and the whole series is available here: https://sketchfab.com/edemaistre/collections/scanning-in-the-catacombs.">https://sketchfab.com/edemaistr... Interestingly I was able to process all the scans immediately on the device, down below (without service). Cool way to demonstrate the power of LiDAR scanning w the iPhone
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This provides an interesting 3D view of a hidden and secret part of Paris that very few people will ever visit. It& #39;s not quite legal and it can be pretty risky. This is the realm of the "cataphiles", experienced urban explorers cultivating a unique and secretive culture.
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Here& #39;s a scan of some spiral entrance stairs. Scanned with @Scaniverse, uploaded to @Sketchfab: https://skfb.ly/o66Gy
Entries">https://skfb.ly/o66Gy&quo... into the catacombs are pretty rare, often locked, and always kept secret.
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Entries">https://skfb.ly/o66Gy&quo... into the catacombs are pretty rare, often locked, and always kept secret.
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This is the "Fontaine des Chartreux", an underground fountain built 200 years ago under a former Carthusian monastery. @Scaniverse: https://skfb.ly/o66KN .">https://skfb.ly/o66KN&quo... Also scanned with @SiteScapeAI as a point cloud: https://skfb.ly/o66KP
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Another nice place is the "Salle des Fêtes", also called "Salle du Cochon", a room where explorers gather to party or just take a rest. Captured with @Scaniverse: https://skfb.ly/o66GH .">https://skfb.ly/o66GH&quo... I met a famous TV journalist right there (won& #39;t say who :).
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The catacombs are home to old shelters and bunkers that were used in former conflicts (especially by the German Luftwaffe and then by French Resistance). Here& #39;s an old nuclear fallout shelter ("Abri Falco"), that could host 100 ppl. W. @Scaniverse: https://skfb.ly/o66JZ
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Catacombs were originally ancient underground quarries. After 1770, ossuaries were created to eliminate the city& #39;s overflowing cemeteries. 6 million people are buried there. This scan is the "Carrefour des Morts" (crossroad of death): https://skfb.ly/o66NL ">https://skfb.ly/o66NL&quo... (w/ @PolycamAI)
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"Cataphiles" like to create their own rooms. We stumbled upon this little room called "Our Lady of the Catacombs" with benches, an altar, and a wooden cross. Maybe some underground masses were celebrated here. With @Scaniverse, on @Sketchfab: https://skfb.ly/o66N8
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Some places are REALLY tight. It& #39;s not for claustrophobic people. They are called "chatières" (only a cat - "chat" - can squeeze in). This one was 12m long and 50cm high. No turning back is possible. Scanning it with @Scaniverse was a challenge! https://skfb.ly/o66GV .">https://skfb.ly/o66GV&quo...
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Check out other amazing 3D scans on the @Sketchfab collection ( https://skfb.ly/o66XP ).">https://skfb.ly/o66XP&quo... I& #39;ve met a couple of other "scanners" that night. One wants to create a whole scan of the place. Another one is thinking about a VR game. Who knows what& #39;s next with this technology...
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