Photogrammetry is a process that recreates a digital representation of a real object or location by estimating the three-dimensional coordinates of surface points (a point cloud) using measurements from hundreds of photos taken from different angles. Once the 3D surfaces are calculated, the colors, textures and details of the photographs are then overlaid on the digital object to create a life-like representation in digital space. Users can then walk around, pick up or explore these digital objects as if they were viewing the real things.

Paracosma Inc focuses on adopting the latest technology and developing cost-effective solutions in the AR/VR sector. To understand the limits and opportunities of Photogrammetry, Paracosma has been working on reconstructing a virtual tour of the sacred Hindu pilgrimage location, Pashupatinath Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The artistic, life-like, 3D model of this real location, combined with VR interactivity, enables users to explore the virtual environment of Pashupatinath as if they were in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The VR tour of Pashupatinath Temple presents a broad view of the landscape and transports the user to a virtual environment where they can witness the mesmerizing Nepalese pagoda style architecture and sculptures. While the Temple tour is an example that is suitable for education, cultural discovery, tourism and pilgrimage applications, the techniques of photogrammetry and the skills being developed by Paracosma are equally applicable for the creation of enterprise and industrial training applications and collaborative environments. Paracosma has been engaged with several clients specifically focused on recreating realistic large-scale environments for training that enable the enactment of scenarios (leaks, fires, explosions, etc) that are not practical in real-world training.