Intel Labs, in collaboration with Blockade Labs, has introduced Latent Diffusion Model for 3D (LDM3D), a novel diffusion model that uses generative AI to create realistic 3D visual content. LDM3D is the industry’s first model to generate a depth map using the diffusion process to create 3D images with 360-degree views that are vivid and immersive. LDM3D has the potential to revolutionize content creation, metaverse applications and digital experiences, transforming a wide range of industries, from entertainment and gaming to architecture and design. LDM3D is industry’s first generative AI model to deliver depth mapping. It has the potential to revolutionize content creation.
Why It Matters: Closed ecosystems limit scale. And Intel’s commitment to true democratization of AI will enable broader access to the benefits of AI through an open ecosystem. One area that’s seen significant advancements in recent years is in the field of computer vision, particularly in generative AI. However, many of today’s advanced generative AI models are limited to generating only 2D images. Unlike existing diffusion models, which generally only generate 2D RGB images from text prompts, LDM3D allows users to generate both an image and a depth map from a given text prompt. Using almost the same number of parameters as latent stable diffusion, LDM3D provides more accurate relative depth for each pixel in an image compared to standard post-processing methods for depth estimation.
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This research could revolutionize how we interact with digital content by enabling users to experience their text prompts in previously inconceivable ways. The images and depth maps generated by LDM3D enable users to turn the text description of a serene tropical beach, a modern skyscraper or a sci-fi universe into a 360-degree detailed panorama. This ability to capture depth information can instantly enhance overall realism and immersion, enabling innovative applications for industries ranging from entertainment and gaming to interior design and real estate listings, as well as virtual museums and immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences.
How It Works: LDM3D was trained on a dataset constructed from a subset of 10,000 samples of the LAION-400M database, which contains over 400 million image-caption pairs. The team used the Dense Prediction Transformer (DPT) large-depth estimation model (previously developed at Intel Labs) to annotate the training corpus. The DPT-large model provides highly accurate relative depth for each pixel in an image. The LAION-400M dataset has been built for research purposes to enable testing model training on larger scale for broad researcher and other interested communities.
The LDM3D model is trained on an Intel AI supercomputer powered by Intel Xeon processors and Intel® Habana Gaudi® AI accelerators. The resulting model and pipeline combine generated RGB image and depth map to generate 360-degree views for immersive experiences.
To demonstrate the potential of LDM3D, Intel and Blockade researchers developed DepthFusion, an application that leverages standard 2D RGB photos and depth maps to create immersive and interactive 360-degree view experiences. DepthFusion utilizes TouchDesigner, a node-based visual programming language for real-time interactive multimedia content, to turn text prompts into interactive and immersive digital experiences. The LDM3D model is a single model to create both an RGB image and its depth map, leading to savings on memory footprint and latency improvements.
SOURCE: BusinessWire