Jordan Ellis
Blender is a free and open-source 3D creation suite that can be used for modelling, animation, and rendering. It has been used in hospital design, with architects using it as an important tool in the design process. To create a hospital map, you will need two images: a map of the area and a digital elevation model (DEM) of the same area. The DEM will be used to generate a 3D surface by extruding parts of the image, and the map will be draped over it. Before importing the images, ensure that you have installed Blender and watched some tutorials to familiarise yourself with the software.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Software | Blender, an open-source 3D creation suite |
| Cost | Free |
| Use case | Hospital map design, 3D modelling, animation, rendering |
| Steps | Georeference the map, resample the DEM or map, fill no data cells, stretch elevation values, import elevation data, add a light source, adjust lighting, displace the DEM, change render settings |
| Tips | Ensure the DEM and map are the same size, resolution, and spatial extent, watch tutorials for guidance, adjust lighting to enhance the relief of the map |
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What You'll Learn
Download Blender
Blender is free and open-source software for 3D modelling, animation, rendering and more. It is used by designers, developers, engineers and artists to make an impact in their respective fields. Blender is supported by major hardware vendors such as AMD, Apple, Intel and NVIDIA.
You can download Blender at www.blender.org. The website also provides access to Blender's open-source code, release notes, requirements, news, press releases, FAQs, manuals, forums, and more.
Blender Studio's open game project is also available on the website. You can also purchase tickets for the Blender Conference (BCON25) and access the Blender Survey 2024 results.
Blender offers a comprehensive array of modelling tools to create, transform and edit models. It also includes production-ready camera and object tracking.
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Use two images: a map and a digital elevation model (DEM)
To make a hospital map on Blender, you can use two images: a map and a digital elevation model (DEM). Firstly, ensure that your two images are the same size, resolution, and spatial extent. Georeference your map to align it with the elevation data, and then resample either the DEM or the map to ensure their pixel alignment matches. You can use ArcMap to achieve this by defining a snap raster in the environment settings.
Next, fill in the "no data" cells in the DEM within the extent of the map and stretch the elevation values. This can be done using the raster calculator tool in ArcMap. This step spreads the elevation values across 16-bit values and replaces null values with 0. The Con function will then assign pixel values, with 0 being assigned where the DEM has null values (flat areas with no elevation data).
The next step is to import the elevation data as a plane. To do this, you must activate the "Import-Export: Import Images as Planes" add-on in Blender's preferences. You can then use the displacement method to create the 3D model for your map.
Additionally, you can edit the heightmaps to modify the terrain. This can be done using imaging software such as GIMP, Photoshop, or MicroDEM. For example, you can paint in flat areas to create roads, paths, or rivers. However, it is important to select the proper grayscale values for the desired terrain features.
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Georeference the map to align with elevation data
To create a 3D map in Blender, you will need two images: a map of the area of interest and a digital elevation model (DEM) that covers the area. Blender can use rasterized elevation data in a similar way to GIS software.
To georeference the map to align with elevation data, you can use the BlenderGIS addon, which acts as a bridge between Blender and geographic data. This addon allows you to import a basemap and ensures that any other information you import will be aligned properly.
- Drag your point of interest to the center of the Blender grid. This is important because any georeferenced information will be relative to these coordinates, and Blender may encounter issues the further things get from the center.
- Zoom in on the 3D viewport until the basemap shows you the area of interest.
- Go to GIS > Web geodata > SRTM to access elevation data from NASA.
- Adjust the settings to create a good initial view, such as increasing the heightmap strength and reducing the subdivisions.
- To overlay a color map on top of your elevation plane, go to GIS > Import > Georeferenced Raster and select the image Blender is using for the basemap.
- Ensure that the DEM and map have the same size, resolution, and spatial extent.
- Resample either the DEM or the map so that their resolution and pixel alignment match.
Additionally, to avoid map deformation during the georeferencing process, you can reproject the elevation data to match your map's coordinate system. This way, the map will not be altered during georeferencing.
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Resample the DEM or map for matching resolution
To create a 3D map in Blender, you'll need two images: a map of the area of interest and a digital elevation model (DEM) covering the same area. The DEM and map must have the same size, resolution, and spatial extent. To ensure this, resample either the DEM or the map so that their resolution and pixel alignment match.
Before importing the images, delete all other objects in the scene by pressing "A" and then "Delete" on your keyboard. Then, import the elevation data as a plane by activating the "Import-Export: Import Images as Planes" add-on in Blender's preferences.
The next step is to georeference the map to align it with the elevation data. This can be done in ArcMap by using the resample tool and defining a snap raster in the environment settings. Ensure that the DEM and map are in the same coordinate system to avoid map deformation.
Finally, fill in the "no data" cells in the DEM within the extent of the map and stretch the elevation values. This can be done using a raster calculator tool, spreading the elevation values across 16-bit values and replacing null values with 0.
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Adjust lighting to enhance the relief of the map
When creating a 3D map in Blender, you can adjust the lighting to enhance the relief of the map. Firstly, you will need to add a light source to your scene. There are five types of light sources, or "lamps", in Blender: point lamps, spot lamps, area lamps, hemi lamps, and sun lamps. The type of lamp you choose will depend on the specific lighting effects you want to achieve. For example, a spot lamp aims light directionally, similar to a flashlight, while a sun lamp mimics the sun and eliminates the distant falloff of light that occurs with the other lamps.
Once you have added a light source, you can adjust its parameters such as size, distance, intensity, direction, and color to achieve the desired lighting effects. You can also change the background lighting settings by clicking the World tab in the Properties menu. By default, the background is a dark grey with a strength value of 1.0. Reducing the strength value to 0 will create a more contrasted relief with darker shadows, while increasing the strength value will brighten up shaded areas.
Additionally, you can shade the relief based on its slope by adding a geometry node to your material. This allows you to visualize the slope of your terrain and adjust how light bounces off the surface. You can also adjust the vertical exaggeration of the relief by changing the Scale value in the Displacement node. Increasing the Scale value will make the terrain appear taller and create darker shadows.
Remember that lighting adjustments are subjective, so feel free to experiment with different lighting settings until you achieve the desired look for your hospital map.
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Frequently asked questions
Blender is a free and open-source software used for 3D modelling, animation, and rendering.
To make a 3D hospital map on Blender, you will need two images: a map of the area of interest and a digital elevation model (DEM) of the same area. The DEM can be downloaded from various sources on the internet, including government open data portals. Both images must be of the same size, resolution, and spatial extent. The render settings must then be changed, and a light source must be added to the scene.
It is important to avoid excessively large image files. It is also crucial to ensure that the DEM and map are of the same size and resolution, and that the DEM pixel values are stretched. Additionally, it is suggested to watch tutorials on how to navigate Blender before beginning the project.
