On GitHub we provide a sample project. There you can download the <a data-v-8e5709e8="" href="https://github.com/PCB-Arts/stylized-blender-setup/releases/download/v1.1/stylized-blender-setup-v1.1.zip" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">blender file</a>, which contains a complete setup with models, corresponding textures and shader settings.<h2 data-v-8e5709e8=""><a data-v-8e5709e8="" href="https://blog.pcb-arts.com/en/blog/blender-tutorial-3#bevel" tabindex="-1" target="_blank"></a>Bevel</h2>Most SMD components have a very simple geometry: they are straight boxes. Due to the perfect shape, renders often look unrealistic. For example, the JST connector of the Zynq-Feather has many sharp edges. In reality, the edges of connectors, IC packages or SMD components are more or less rounded because of inaccuracies and imperfect conditions during manufacturing.With the help of a <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Bevel</code> node, such rounded corners can easily be added to a material without having to change the geometry of a single or multiple objects. For this purpose, the node can be connected to the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Normal</code> input of a <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Shader</code> node. The <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Radius</code> can be used to influence the curvature. Generally small <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Radius</code> values should be chosen for IC packages, because they usually have sharp corners. On the other hand, the solder contacts of SMD resistors, for example, are more rounded. In this case, larger values should be chosen. The following figure shows how a <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Bevel</code> node can be configured in the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Shader Editor</code>.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUxNDc5NDkxODIxLUJldmVsX05vZGUucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The Bevel node.At first glance, a difference is hardly noticeable. To get a better impression of the effect, take a look at the following illustration. There, two renders are laid on top of each other, one with and one without bevel. The image segments can be moved using the slider on our <a href="https://blog.pcb-arts.com/en/blog/blender-tutorial-3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">blog</a>.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUxNDgwMjUzNzkzLVdpdGggYW5kIHdpdGhvdXQgQmV2ZWwucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Rendered PCB with and without bevel.Using Bevel nodes was suggested by one of our Twitter followers. He mentioned it in one of his videos: <a data-v-8e5709e8="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ratnf0rIVU" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">youtube.com/watch?v=7ratnf0rIVU</a><h2 data-v-8e5709e8=""><a data-v-8e5709e8="" href="https://blog.pcb-arts.com/en/blog/blender-tutorial-3#labels" tabindex="-1" target="_blank"></a>Labels</h2>IC packages often have a label. It shows a product number, the name of the manufacturer or something similar. The next step is to see how such a label on a component can be implemented in Blender. For this, a texture is needed that contains the labeling as a black and white image. The labels are often shown in the data sheets of the components. They can be extracted from the PDF file of the data sheet as a screenshot or with the help of an image editing program. A <code data-v-8e5709e8="">UV Map</code> must then be set up to project the texture onto the top of the IC package. All other faces should be placed outside of the image. To ensure that the label is not present on the other faces, the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Extension</code> attribute of the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Image Texture</code> node in the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Shader Editor</code> must be set to <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Extended</code> (the default value is <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Repeat</code>).In the example of the Zynq-Feather a label is to be added to a RAM IC. The following screenshot shows how the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">UV Map</code> was configured.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUxNDgwNDAwMDU2LVJBTV9JQ19VVi5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Cconfiguration of the UV Map.After the UV map has been set up correctly, the material of the component must be adjusted. Since ICs are often assigned the same materials during export, a copy of the material must first be created. This way, the subsequent changes will only apply to the selected part.In the production of ICs, the markings are often applied to the packaging surface by a laser. By using a laser, the lettering is slightly brighter than the otherwise black packaging and less rough. This can be taken into account by controlling the &#39;Base Color&#39; and the &#39;Roughness&#39; of the material with the previously set up texture. For the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Base Color</code> a <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Mix</code> node can be used, which mixes the black color of the case with the dark brown color of the marking. The <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Roughness</code> can be controlled using the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Map Range</code> node. This maps the values of the texture from <code data-v-8e5709e8="">0.0</code> (black) to <code data-v-8e5709e8="">1.0</code> (white) to the range of values from <code data-v-8e5709e8="">0.4</code> (rather smooth) to <code data-v-8e5709e8="">0.8</code> (rough).&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUxNDgwNDcxNDAyLVJBTV9JQ19NYXRlcmlhbC5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The settings for the material of the RAM IC.For close-ups it is also worth to add a <code data-v-8e5709e8="" id="isPasted">Displacement</code> to the ICs material. To create bumps in the surface, a <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Noise Texture</code> can be used. The necessary nodes are shown in the following figure.&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1651480572544-RAM_IC_Displacement.png" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Necessary nodes for Noise Texture.<h2 data-v-8e5709e8="" id="isPasted">Denoising</h2>The last thing that should be considered is the final result: the rendered image. In the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Cycles</code> mode, the rendered image is quite noisy. Depending on the number of samples , the noise is stronger or weaker. With a large number of samples the noise decreases, but the time for rendering increases. Even with a very high amount of samples, the noise is still noticeable. Hence, denoising should be applied to the render.To set up denoising, the checkbox <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Denoising Data</code> must be selected in the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">View Layer Properties</code> in the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Properties</code> window under <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Passes</code>. Another visual improvement can be achieved by using <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Ambient Occlusion</code>, which can be activated in the same process (see screenshot).<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1651480646573-Enable_Denoising_and_AO.png" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Enable Denoising and AO.Finally, the activated render layers need to be considered in the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Compositor</code> in order to apply Denoising and Ambient Occlusion to the render result. The settings in the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Compositor</code> are shown in the screenshot below.<div data-v-8e5709e8="" src="https://static.blog.pcb-arts.com/blender-tutorial-3/Compositor_Denoising.png" title="Configuration of Denoising and Ambient Occlusion in the Compositor"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1651480715257-Compositor_Denoising.png" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Compositor for Denoising.</div><h2 data-v-8e5709e8="" id="isPasted">Conclusion</h2>The PCB model has now been enhanced with additional details by adding labels to ICs and rounding materials to make them look more realistic. Also, the noise in the final render has been fixed. This is the end of the tutorial series about rendering PCBs in Blender.&nbsp;The team of PCB Arts hopes you will have a lot of fun creating your own renders!

In this tutorial series it is all about the procedure of creating realistic renders from 3D models of PCBs in Blender. 
In the third (and last) part of this tutorial series, we will take a look at different steps that will lead to a better render result.

Rendering PCBs Part 3 - Final steps

Last month one of our valued customers <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/sms.14158" target="_blank">published</a> the result of great research on hamstring fascicle behaviour and muscle forces in the Nordic hamstring curl (NHC), single-leg Roman chair (RCH), and single-leg deadlift (DL). The <a href="https://twitter.com/BasVanHooren/status/1506300340269985798" target="_blank">post on Twitter</a> of main author Bas van Hooren got 600+ likes within a few days, with great reactions from the global scientific sports science community. Reasons enough for us to have a chat about this successful publication.<figure><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1650973750982-Bas+Van+Hooren+square.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Bas Van Hooren</figure><h3>Professional athlete and sports scientist</h3>Sports scientist Bas Van Hooren is currently doing PhD research at Maastricht University in the faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences. His work is about hamstring injuries and performance enhancement and injury prevention in running. As a professional athlete, he has won several medals and became the Dutch national champion 3000m indoor in 2017. As freelance strength and conditioning specialist, he helps top athletes to improve their performance, using the latest scientific insights. As a sports scientist Van Hooren translates theoretical concepts into practical recommendations and published more than 30 scientific articles.<figure><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Zi2Q9rSINeM?&wmode=opaque&rel=0&enablejsapi=1&origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Van Hooren and his collaborators in Maastricht (Panayiotis Teratsias, Paul Willems, Maarten Drost and Kenneth Meijer) in KU Leuven (Benedicte Vanwanseele and Sam van Rossom) are grateful for the collaboration and support from Usono. &ldquo;Capturing the ultrasound data would have been much more difficult or even impossible without the ProbeFix Dynamic T&rdquo; he states when asked about his experience. The study included ten male participants who performed the exercises while full-body kinematics, ground reaction forces, surface muscle activation and biceps femoris long head fascicle behaviour with ultrasound were measured.<h3>Measuring during exercises</h3>Van Hooren explains: &ldquo;By measuring the forces, activation, and fascicle behaviour of the hamstrings during these exercises we can get very valuable insights into the potential long-term effects that these exercises may have. For example, the amount of active fascicle lengthening during an exercise likely provides information about the stimulus for long-term increases in fascicle length (which is a risk factor for hamstring injuries). And by comparing fascicle length using ultrasound between these exercises, we can therefore get more information about which exercise is potentially most effective to modify this risk factor.<h3>Custom-made holder</h3>The ProbeFix Dynamic allowed us to visualize dynamic hamstring fascicle behaviour during multiple exercises. This is something that has not been achieved before because it is incredibly difficult to capture clear ultrasound images. The ProbeFix Dynamic however allowed us to fine-tune the position and orientation of the ultrasound probe to optimize image quality, which would not have been possible with conventional approaches. USONO even made a custom-made holder specifically designed for our flat-shaped ultrasound transducer in B-mode (Telemed ArtUs, Vilnius, Lithuania). They also made an attachment with reflective markers so we could determine the position and orientation of the probe with our 3D motion capture system. Overall, we are therefore very happy with the collaboration.<figure><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1650973763697-ProbeFix+Dynamic+T.png" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">ProbeFix Dynamic T during setup<figcaption> </figcaption></figure><h3>Collaboration in new applications and studies</h3>Regarding the collaboration CEO Victor Donker agrees with Van Hooren: &ldquo;we love to work with intrinsically motivated people like Bas who strive for next level ultrasound research applications. We have known Bas and his colleagues in Maastricht for years and know they are always working on amazing studies that have a great impact on sports science.&rdquo; The products and services Usono offers are designed especially for these applications. This ProbeFix Dynamic T version was developed in collaboration with Amsterdam UMC and colleagues in Maastricht. The ProbeFix Dynamic can be used in research into muscle behaviour during exercises or even running or cycling. With the modular probe adapter, any ultrasound (linear) probe can be attached to the human body. Related studies are performed in universities, private clinics and professional soccer clubs, in the Netherlands, United States, Italy, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom among many other countries.<hr><h3>Publication and contact</h3>Muscle forces and fascicle behaviour during three hamstring exercisesBas Van Hooren, Benedicte Vanwanseele, Sam van Rossom, Panayiotis Teratsias, Paul Willems, Maarten Drost, Kenneth Meijer<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/sms.14158" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Link to full publication</a>Contact Usono:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@usono.com">info@usono.com</a>

Synched ultrasound (Telemed ArtUs with Usono ProbeFix Dynamic T) and motion capturing with Vicon

Researchers in Maastricht and Leuven used ProbeFix Dynamic for a pioneering study using dynamic ultrasound imaging and 3D motion tracking in Nordic hamstring curl, single-leg Roman chair, and single-leg deadlift.

ProbeFix Dynamic crucial for ultrasound imaging of hamstring muscle and fascicle behaviour.

On GitHub we provide a sample project. There you can download the <a data-v-8e5709e8="" href="https://github.com/PCB-Arts/stylized-blender-setup/releases/download/v1.1/stylized-blender-setup-v1.1.zip" id="isPasted" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">blender file</a>, which contains a complete setup with models, corresponding textures and shader settings.&nbsp;<h2 data-v-8e5709e8="" id="isPasted">1. Preparation</h2>The most important thing is of course the 3D model of the PCB. Additionaly, the components placed on it can also be imported. However, these will only be considered in part 3. To import the models into Blender, the board must first be exported from the CAD program in which it was designed. This depends on which program you are using. In our case we exported <code data-v-8e5709e8="">.step</code> files from Altium and converted them to a <code data-v-8e5709e8="">.obj</code> file and associated <code data-v-8e5709e8="">.mtl</code> file using the free tool DesignSpark Mechanical.After importing the 3D objects into Blender, it is recommended to clean things up. This means simplifying the geometry of the objects, merging objects that belong together and grouping components using collections. This makes it easier to work with the objects and it also improves Blender&#39;s performance. These steps are explained in more detail below.<h3 data-v-8e5709e8=""><a data-v-8e5709e8="" href="https://blog.pcb-arts.com/en/blog/blender-tutorial-1#merging-objects-join" tabindex="-1" target="_blank"></a>Merging Objects (Join)</h3>Sometimes it happens that single components consist of many small pieces. An example is the USB-C connector shown in the screenshot, which consists of about 1000 objects.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUxNDc1NTA1MzAwLUpvaW5fTWVzaF9CZWZvcmUucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">USB-C connector with multiple componentsIn order to simplify this complex geometry, all individual pieces must be merged into one object. To avoid having to tediously select all the individual parts, it is worth using the search function in the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Outliner</code>. In the screenshot you can see that the identifier <code data-v-8e5709e8="">J1</code> was used and therefore all objects that belong to the component J1 are shown in the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Outliner</code>. Then you can select all filtered objects using <kbd data-v-8e5709e8="">A</kbd> and join them using <kbd data-v-8e5709e8="">Ctrl</kbd> + <kbd data-v-8e5709e8="">J</kbd> in the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Viewport</code>. It is important that one object is highlighted in yellow.<h3 data-v-8e5709e8=""><a data-v-8e5709e8="" href="https://blog.pcb-arts.com/en/blog/blender-tutorial-1#simplifying-the-geometry-limited-dissolve" tabindex="-1" target="_blank"></a>Simplifying the geometry (Limited Dissolve)</h3>In Blender there is a convenient method to simplify meshes using the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Limited Dissolve</code> method. The detailed USB-C connector can serve as an example again. It has 31824 faces after joining all pieces together and is thus quite complex!<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUxNDc1ODM2NzEwLUxpbWl0ZWRfRGlzc29sdmUucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The Limited Dissolve method is helpful for simplifying the geometry.In the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Viewport</code>, the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Limited Dissolve</code> operation can be accessed via the menu <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Mesh &gt; Clean Up &gt; Limited Dissolve</code>. After the simplification, the USB-C connector has only 6639 faces. The geometric complexity could be reduced significantly (by 79%)!Using <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Limited Dissolve</code> is also beneficial for the board, which can have quite a lot of edges and faces due to holes or vias. For small components or ICs, this method usually does not bring any notable improvements.<h3 data-v-8e5709e8=""><a data-v-8e5709e8="" href="https://blog.pcb-arts.com/en/blog/blender-tutorial-1#grouping-objects-in-collections-move-to-collection" tabindex="-1" target="_blank"></a>Grouping objects in collections (Move to Collection)</h3>This step is optional and only serves to organize the objects in the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Outliner</code>. Similar to merging objects, it is recommended to search for components by their identifier. For example, in the screenshot we filtered for capacitors using the search pattern <code data-v-8e5709e8="">\\C[0-9]</code> (meaning that the name of the object should have a &quot;C&quot; after the backslash followed by a number between 0 and 9).<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUxNDc1OTQ0NjY3LUFkZF90b19Db2xsZWN0aW9uLnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Collections help to organize components in the Outliner.After entering a suitable search pattern, you can select all filtered objects with <kbd data-v-8e5709e8="">A</kbd> and call the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Move to Collection</code> menu with <kbd data-v-8e5709e8="">M</kbd>. There you can decide whether the selected objects should be moved to an existing or a new collection. In the example shown here, a new collection is created with the name &quot;Capacitors&quot;.<h2 data-v-8e5709e8=""><a data-v-8e5709e8="" href="https://blog.pcb-arts.com/en/blog/blender-tutorial-1#textures" tabindex="-1" target="_blank"></a>Textures</h2>Different textures are needed to render traces or the solder mask on the 3D model of the PCB. These textures are black and white images generated by the CAD program. The following images are needed:<ul data-v-8e5709e8=""><li data-v-8e5709e8="">Copper Layer</li><li data-v-8e5709e8="">Silkscreen Layer</li><li data-v-8e5709e8="">Soldermask Layer</li></ul>If both sides should be taken into account, different textures are needed for top and bottom. In this case, you need six textures for the board.In our example project, we have chosen a resolution of about 4600 x 3300 pixels (be generous here) for the PCB textures. The export of the images may vary depending on the CAD software. If the CAD program does not allow a direct export of PNG images, one possible solution is to export the layers as vector graphics or PDF and then open them in GIMP. There the image can be cropped and saved as a PNG image.In Blender image files can be opened in the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">UV Editor</code>. Three or six textures should now be present (see screenshot).<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUxNDc2MTI0MTc2LVRleHR1cmVzX092ZXJ2aWV3LnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The UV Editor allows viewing different textures.<h2 data-v-8e5709e8="" id="isPasted">UV Unwrapping</h2>In UV Unwrapping, two-dimensional textures are assigned to the faces of a three-dimensional object. To project the textures onto the surface, you can use the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Project from View</code> method. Before the unwrapping is performed, it is important that the viewport has the top perspective. <kbd data-v-8e5709e8="">Numpad 7</kbd> can be used to switch to this perspective. In <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Edit-Mode</code> open the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">UV Mapping</code> menu using <kbd data-v-8e5709e8="">U</kbd> and execute <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Project from View</code>.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUxNDc2MjQyMTIxLVVWX1Byb2plY3RfZnJvbV9WaWV3LnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The Project from View method projects the textres onto the surface.After unwrapping, you can see the projected geometry of the board in the UV Editor (left in the above screenshot). This now needs to be aligned with the textures. When aligning, make sure that all surfaces are selected (orange) both in the viewport and in the UV Editor so that everything is scaled and moved evenly. The holes and the outline of the board are useful for alignment.Recommended reading:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/rendering-pcbs-part-3-final-steps" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Rendering PCBs Part 3 - Final steps</a>It can happen that bottom and top layers are misaligned. If this is the case, two different UV Maps are required for the board object. UV Maps can be managed in the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Properties</code> window under <code data-v-8e5709e8="">Object Data &gt; UV Maps</code> and can be swapped in the <code data-v-8e5709e8="">UV Editor</code> (see red boxes in the screenshot).<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjUxNDc2MzY0MTc2LVVWX0FsaWduZWRfVGV4dHVyZS5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">&nbsp;UV maps can be swapped in the UV editor.<h2 data-v-8e5709e8="" id="isPasted">Summary</h2>The 3D models and the textures are now prepared for the subsequent steps. In the next part, we will look at the configuration of the board&#39;s shader. Based on the textures, the shader decides where copper, solder mask or silkscreen are visible and how these different materials should be rendered.&nbsp;Part 2 coming soon on Wevolver and is already accessible via our <a href="https://blog.pcb-arts.com/en/blog/blender-tutorial-2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">blog</a>.

In this tutorial series it is all about the procedure of creating realistic renders from 3D models of PCBs in Blender. The first part covers the preparation of the 3D objects, the required textures and UV unwrapping.



Rendering PCBs Part 1 - Preparation, Textures and UV Unwrapping

Accessibility is an undeniably important subject, yet one which is all-too often overlooked in the development of new technologies. Despite the march of progress, the majority of legally blind individuals rely on a simple white cane for navigation — something researchers Manuel Zahn and Armaghan Ahmad Khan are looking to change.The pair, working in the Center for Digital Technology and Management at the Technical University of Munich and in partnership with FRAMOS GmbH, have developed a system which combines a depth-sensing 3D camera with a wearable haptic feedback sleeve — providing, they say, navigation and obstacle avoidance capabilities entirely hands-free, and at a fidelity and range which far exceeds a cane.<h1>Computer vision for the blind</h1>The fully-wearable system proposed by Zahn and Khan is built around an Intel RealSense D415 depth-sensing camera, housed in a 3D-printed pair of glasses worn over the user’s eyes. This is linked to a single-board computer, an AAEON Up Board, which handles processing the data from the camera, and a battery pack for portability.The RealSense Camera is designed around an active infrared stereo imaging system, projecting beams of invisible infrared light and measuring the depth of its surroundings. Compared with a system based on visible light cameras, it has one major advantage: It can operate in absolute darkness, allowing its user to navigate without difficulty.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1644261002540-blind2.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Two images: the left image shows an Intel RealSense depth-sensing camera mounted in a 3D printed pair of glasses, in place of the lenses; the right image shows a person wearing the camera system.">An off-the-shelf depth-sensing camera combined with a 3D printed frame acts as the input to a hands-free navigation system for the blind. Determining the depth of the wearer’s surroundings is only part of the system’s function, however: That information has to be communicated to the user in some way. Eschewing spoken or otherwise audible feedback, as likely to take away from the user’s ability to easily hear their surroundings, the researchers developed a wearable haptic feedback sleeve made from 25 vibration motors sewn onto fabric and linked to an Adafruit Feather 32U4 microcontroller development board.With this, the system is complete: A depth-sensing camera which can map the wearer’s surroundings onto the 25-“pixel” haptic feedback system, providing a physical response when obstacles are near.<h1>Novel navigation</h1>Exactly what feedback is provided depends on where the user is navigating, the pair explain. For indoor navigation, the system provides vibration of nearby obstacles and walls — the location of the vibration mapped to the direction of the obstacle and the intensity mapped to its proximity. This way, a user can navigate with only the wearable system.An outdoor mode switches from a standalone navigation device to an accessory, designed for use with the traditional cane: The obstacle detection range is extended to beyond two meters (around six and a half feet), providing information about obstacles and other objects outside the range of a traditional cane.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1644261012136-blind3.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A picture of a custom-built haptic feedback sleeve, comprised of a grid of 25 vibration motors sewn onto fabric. Wires are seen leading to a control box and a battery pack.">Designed to keep the user's hands free, this haptic feedback sleeve proved easy to use. To prove the concept, the pair set up a navigation route which included walkways, doors, and various obstacles — and which had to be traversed in absolute darkness. Impressively, after a period of familiarization with the vibration feedback system, the five volunteers were able to complete the obstacle course perfectly on their very first try.In subsequent attempts, the time taken to traverse the course reduced — showing increasing familiarity with and trust in the system: “Overall the averages for the runs decreased from 320 seconds in the first run to 148 seconds in the third run, two weeks later,” the researchers note — while admitting that one participant did become disoriented for a short period in their last run with the system.The results encourage, with Zahn and Khan pointing to the system’s low cost and lightweight nature as making it of interest for future development — as too is the fact it does not interfere with the wearer’s hearing and leaves both hands free, either for using a traditional navigation aid like cane or for any other task.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1644261019783-blind4.jpg" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A picture of a narrow hall with a grid of colored boxes overlaid; an image to the right shows how each color maps to a strength of vibration on the haptic feedback sleeve.">Varying strength and positional haptic feedback turn obstacles into a feeling on the wearer's arm. “Further developments could include the implementation of an object recognition, based on the RGB [visible light] image of the camera,” the pair add. “This would allow the system to artificially generate bordered paths, solving the problem of orientation in a large open space.”The only sticking point: Intel, the manufacturer of the camera platform used for the prototype, <a href="https://www.crn.com/news/components-peripherals/why-pat-gelsinger-decided-to-wind-down-intel-s-realsense-unit-exclusive" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">recently confirmed</a> it was to discontinue its RealSense platform — though, at the time of writing, it continued to provide the RealSense D415 for sale.Zahn and Khan's paper is available <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2201.04453" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">on Cornell's arXiv.org preprint server</a>.<h1>References</h1>Manuel Zahn, Armaghan Ahmad Khan: <cite>Obstacle avoidance for blind people using a 3D camera and a haptic feedback sleeve</cite>. DOI <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2201.04453" target="_blank">arXiv:2201.04453</a> [cs.HC].Dylan Martin, CRN: Why Pat Gelsinger Decided to Wind Down Intel's RealSense Unit: Exclusive.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.crn.com/news/components-peripherals/why-pat-gelsinger-decided-to-wind-down-intel-s-realsense-unit-exclusive" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.crn.com/news/components-peripherals/why-pat-gelsinger-decided-to-wind-down-intel-s-realsense-unit-exclusive</a>

Using a depth-sensing camera, this wearable navigation platform can alert its wearer to obstacles via haptic feedback.

Built around a custom-made haptic feedback sleeve and an Intel RealSense camera in a 3D-printed glasses housing, this navigation system lets its user find their way even in absolute darkness.

A wearable navigation system, featuring a 3D camera, offers a hands-free navigation solution for the blind

<h2></h2><h2 data-element-id="headingsMap-5-0">Introduction</h2>The automotive industry is going through a rapid transformation driven by electrification, autonomous vehicles &amp; driver support systems, and changes in mobility patterns and city infrastructure. These trends will influence the physical design and capability of commercial, public, and individual vehicles and the broader social and economic impacts of changes to car/fleet ownership and use. The increased need for sensors in vehicles, in the electric/hybrid drivetrains and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) up to autonomous driving systems, creates new significant opportunities for the integrated photonics industry.Combustion engine vehicles are facing increasing emission legislation demands. This is leading to accelerated innovation in electric vehicles (EV) and a <a href="https://www.eenewsautomotive.com/news/number-automotive-ecus-continues-rise" target="_blank">very strong increase of electronics</a> in vehicles in two key areas: Power electronics and sensors in EV and Sensors and computing/networking for ADAS in autonomous vehicles.Integrated photonics offers <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/key-application-areas-for-integrated-photonics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">promising solutions</a> in both areas. Integrated photonics is the rapidly <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/an-introduction-to-integrated-photonics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">emerging field of photonics</a> that works to integrate multiple photonic functions into integrated circuits for communication, sensing, and, going forward, computing applications. Complex photonic circuits can now generate, process, and detect light, in analogy to how electronic integrated circuits do for electronic signals by way of connecting multiple discrete single-function components (e.g. dedicated lasers, photodetectors) and relevant optical interfaces.This article will give an overview of the applications in automotive that hold the most potential for Integrated Photonic potential. Additionally, it will introduce the PhotonDelta Integrated Photonic Automotive roadmap.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr" data-element-id="headingsMap-6-0">Automotive applications with potential Integrated photonic content&nbsp;</h2>As the amount of electronic content in cars continues to increase the potential for PIC also rises rapidly. &nbsp;There is a wide range of applications within the future motor vehicle suitable for PIC.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjE3MTc4NTM3MTkxLUlNQUdFIDgtMDEuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 data-element-id="headingsMap-7-0">FMCW lidar and Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors</h2>Two areas with the most potential for PIC are FMCW Lidar and Fiber Bragg Grating interrogators.<h3 data-element-id="headingsMap-8-0">FMCW (Frequency-modulated coherent wave) lidar</h3>Lidar is a complementary sensor technology to radar and cameras for ADAS and autonomous vehicles. It works by actively scanning its environment with a laser beam and detecting the return signal to measure distance and speed (for some versions). Different operating principles and many different technical solutions exist, and the technology is developing rapidly under the increased investment from major automotive manufacturers.FMCW lidar is gaining traction because it can offer higher sensitivity and measure the speed at the same time. This principle is very well suited for using Integrated Photonics. Future electric vehicle designs are expected to host multiple Lidar, particularly vehicles with elevated autonomous driving functions.&nbsp;<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjE3MDEzMjU5ODQ5LUlNQUdFIDItMDEuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Possible sensor set up for autonomous vehicles.&nbsp;<h3 class="fr-img-space-wrap2" data-element-id="headingsMap-9-0">FMCW lidar using integrated photonics</h3></div>The challenge to bringing an FMCW solution to market has been the lack of low-cost, high-volume manufacturing of the required high-performance components. Affordable FMCW lidar solutions require all-optical functionalities to be integrated into a single silicon chip. PIC offers the level of manufacturing control and accuracy needed for integrated circuits to achieve superior performance and the functionality needed to enable a robust, cost-effective, and high-quality product.A low-noise, low-loss, and polarization-independent technology will enable very high signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) so even lower optical powers can be used. Thus, even when humans are close to the sensor, it will remain eye-safe for the detection of distant objects. Measuring objects a few centimeters in dimension &gt;200 m away should be within the capability of integrated circuit-based FMCW lidar.Improvements in lidar bring deliver better driver assist systems and will ultimately be essential to widespread autonomous vehicle design. However, FMCW lidar also has massive potential for use in other types of ‘vehicles’ such as autonomous robots for use in manufacturing, healthcare, and infrastructure monitoring.&nbsp;<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjE3MDEyOTE5MTI3LWNsZWFycGF0aC5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Lidar will be employed across robotics applications. Image: Clearpath<h3 class="fr-img-space-wrap2" data-element-id="headingsMap-10-0">Fiber Bragg Grating sensors using integrated photonics</h3></div>Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors work on the principle that light is reflected or absorbed in a fiber where on specific positions a frequency tuned grating is made. This is dependent on force, pressure, temperature, and strain, all of which can be simultaneously measured with extreme accuracy.Most fiber optic sensor systems today make use of FBG technology. FBG-based sensing offers advantages, such as small size, fast response, distributed sensing, and immunity to the electromagnetic field. All attributes relevant to application in automotive. These systems can be miniaturized using integrated photonics into very compact interrogator systems that have multiple applications for electric vehicles.This miniaturization isn’t just a ‘nice to have' but rather essential for the continued innovation of vehicles to occur. As described above the rapid electrification of all forms of transport means also means more ‘stuff’ is needed inside the vehicles. &nbsp;Wiring, sensors, and processors increase contributing to the vehicle’s overall weight and in turn a reduction in its efficiency. Integrated photonics offers a huge reduction in the overall size of systems. Combined with other communication technologies such as wireless and single pair ethernet, vehicles will get lighter and more efficient.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjE3MDEzMjcyODExLUlNQUdFIDMtMDEuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The sensor market is rapidly expanding&nbsp;<h2 class="fr-img-space-wrap2" data-element-id="headingsMap-11-0">The future of vehicles</h2></div>We are at a precipice of change within the automotive industry. Multiple technologies, including integrated photonics, are rapidly coming to maturity that has the potential to radically change the way we understand vehicles. At this moment almost all imagined scenarios could become reality. It will be a complex combination of market demand and adoption, resource management, and imagination that will ultimately decide the outcome.<h2 data-element-id="headingsMap-12-0">Integrated Photonic Automotive Roadmap</h2>Dutch growth Accelerator PhotonDelta has created the Integrated Photonic Automotive Roadmap, which provides a clear overview of the automotive industry’s current trends and market conditions and identifies the key opportunity areas for integrated photonics. The roadmap details which technology developments need to occur to support PIC applications and links this with technology roadmaps. Finally, the roadmap proposes an approach for the industry to ensure new applications are not delayed due to roadblocks caused by industry or manufacturing capabilities. <a href="http://eepurl.com/huN8Fj" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sign up here</a> to receive a notification of the roadmap's official release.&nbsp;<h2 data-element-id="headingsMap-13-0">Summary</h2>Integrated photonics opens a wide range of innovation opportunities in automotive. As the electronic components of cars increase and the move to full electrification continue, PIC offers low-power and low-cost solutions that directly contribute to vehicle efficiency. PIC will follow a similar path of decreasing cost as mass manufacturing expands. Future automotive solutions are likely to heavily rely on the advantages of PIC.<hr><h2 data-element-id="headingsMap-14-0">About the sponsor: PhotonDelta</h2><a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/about%3Ablank" target="_blank">PhotonDelta</a>&nbsp;is a growth accelerator for the Dutch integrated photonics industry. Its objective is to promote the adoption of integrated photonics and support companies to get prioritized access to the Dutch Integrated Photonics supply chain. Furthermore, PhotonDelta runs a new business creation program that provides companies, ranging from startups to SMEs and big organizations, with access to strategy, market, and funds.Through its wide network within the industry, PhotonDelta has gathered insights on market trends, challenges, and product roadmaps. This information is used to drive business creation, investments, and strategic technology roadmaps. Furthermore, PhotonDelta actively supports start-ups and SMEs to facilitate their involvement with the Dutch integrated photonic supply chain. This includes facilitating options for establishing a solid presence in the Netherlands.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjE3MTAxMzgwMDU0LXBob3RvbiBkZWx0YSBhcnRpY2xlIGJvdHRvbSBiYW5uZXIuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">

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