Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1530710
24 cgw o c t o b e r • n o v e m b e r • d e c e m b e r 2 0 2 4 c orbel 3D, located in Vancouver and Beijing, is known for its ex- pertise in photogrammetry. It uses self-engineered multi-cam- era arrays to capture high-quality, high-volume 3D and 4D for applications ranging from motion pictures and video games to emerging markets like AI, metaverse, and potential medical ap- plications. Their brand, Pixel Light Effects, attracts media and enter- tainment clients like Marvel's Deadpool 2 and Netflix's Chilling Adven- tures of Sabrina. The Challenge Corbel faced significant challenges transferring large amounts of data, particularly with 4D scans, which generate as much as 36 GB of data per second. This was exacerbated when working with their of- fice in Beijing, where they needed to zip and unzip thousands or mil- lions of small files, causing lengthy delays at each end of the process. The Solution Corbel began exploring better file transfer delivery options, eventual- ly adopting Signiant in 2021. Signiant Media Shuttle is a crucial infra- structure element for Corbel, streamlining their 3D and 4D transfer operations by reducing the time it takes for them to work, eliminating the need to zip files, and saving them almost a whole day for each transfer. The Value The Signiant Platform provides Corbel and Pixel Light Effects with more reliable and faster file transfers, saving hours, if not days, of data handling and processing time. Using an industry-recognized, secure file transfer solution augments Corbel 3D's industry credibili- ty with potential clients and strengthens its reputation in the media and entertainment sector. It's the Waiting That Grinds You Down Sometimes, it's not a single big moment that pushes customers toward Signiant—not a client crisis, corrupted files, or the need to reshoot an entire day's work—but rather the accumulation of waiting from countless little delays. It's the waiting that grinds you down. Sometimes, it's not one disaster but lots of small, relentless, frus- trating delays keeping you from your work that make you realize a change is needed. That's exactly where Corbel 3D found itself. capturing the future Founded in 2014, Corbel 3D and Pixel Light Effects provide indus- try-leading 3D and 4D scanning hardware and services, specializing in the digital capture of people, objects, and environments. They uti- lize state-of-the-art photogrammetry scanning equipment, which they manufacture in-house. Photogrammetry involves capturing an object from multiple an- gles using single or multiple cameras. Specialized soware then re- constructs these images into a detailed 3D model with texture by triangulating the camera positions and creating a point cloud. While static objects can be scanned with a single camera and turntable, Corbel's expertise lies in using multi-camera arrays to capture hun- dreds of images simultaneously—particularly for moving subjects— enabling the creation of intricate 3D or 4D models. Corbel's services and equipment have been used by AAA game developers, major Hollywood studios, social networking platforms, and more. With offices in both Vancouver and Beijing, Corbel oper- ates globally, capturing and processing data, with CEO Jingyi Zhang overseeing the entire process. Millions of Small Files Working with millions of small files presented significant challeng- es for Corbel 3D and Pixel Light, especially when transferring data across large distances. The specialized scanning hardware and so- ware they developed could generate as much as 36 GB of data per second. For a typical 2 to 10-minute capture, this could mean be- tween four and 21 GB of data for a single shot. "The Beijing office [does] all the capture. All the post-processing team is in Vancouver. The files aren't large, but there are thousands SHOWCASE FROM FRUSTRATION TO EFFICIENCY HOW CORBEL 3D ACCELERATED FILE TRANSFERS