Current direction. This page defines the intended problem and initial product boundary. It is not a claim of implemented capability.
The canonical formal term is constrained parametric geometric model fitting. Useful equivalent descriptions, depending on audience, include:
- joint constrained fitting
- geometric model calibration
- bounded robust nonlinear least-squares estimation of a user-defined generative model
- simultaneous pose/shape estimation
- analysis-by-synthesis
These terms describe the optimization problem. They do not imply automatic topology discovery or general reverse engineering.
Users declare:
- topology and supported geometric elements
- which observations correspond to which elements
- fixed, free, and derived parameters
- parameter bounds
- hard, soft, and diagnostic relationships
Scansor optimizes only free parameters. It should produce fit diagnostics, auditable parameter values, and CAD output. Observation correspondence is explicit input rather than an inference the initial product promises to solve.
A solid, bounded expert tool appears plausible. The first product should focus on:
- declared, topology-stable analytic primitives
- line/arc profiles used in revolved and extruded forms
- exact-by-construction constraints
- explicit observation regions and element memberships
- robust fitting in the presence of outliers
- held-out observations for validation
- identifiability and observation-coverage diagnostics
- one or a few deliberately bounded adapters
The initial product should not promise:
- automatic topology or feature recognition
- arbitrary CAD feature trees, unrestricted assembly semantics, or free-form NURBS fitting
- guaranteed global optima
- universal editable CAD history
- universal automatic scan-to-CAD conversion
- unsupported metrology or accuracy claims
Future expansion may alter supported model families or adapters, but should not blur the distinction between verified capability and aspiration.
Open. Scansor is a working name derived from a gecko adhesive toe-pad
structure. Unrelated commercial SAP-monitoring software already uses Scansor.
The separate markets may make coexistence plausible, but public-name clearance
has not been completed.