3D Reality Capture: Highlights from IRgA Workshop

By Ed Avis

     The IRgA Workshop about job site opportunities three weeks ago was full of great ideas. At the top of the list was the panel discussion on 3D reality capture. Here are a few highlights from that portion of the workshop; in the next edition of IRgA Today, we will offer highlights from the other parts of the workshop.

     Mark DiPasquale, owner of Archimedia Solutions Group in Boston, led off the panel by describing how his company has succeeded in this space. He formed a new entity, Siteline 360, to indicate to potential clients that they specialize in 3D reality capture and that it’s not just a sideline of Archimedia.

     DiPasquale’s company has taken the high end approach to the market by investing in scanners from Leica. These offer the best possible scan quality, which is needed for major jobs that require exact measurements. These scanners require regular calibration – which means sending them to the factory in Switzerland – so he keeps back-up scanners on hand.

     “We like to buy expensive equipment because our customers won’t buy it themselves,” he adds.

     DiPasquale offered these other tips:

  • Learn the standards your clients have for digital images. There are multiple levels of scanner quality; make sure you get a system that matches your prospective client requirements.
  • Focus on the AEC market. You already have them as clients, so you’re not calling on them cold. But skip the real estate market – too many people are already fighting for those lower-quality scan jobs.
  • Mid-size AEC firms are the best prospects. Big firms have their own 3D scan systems, and small firms probably don’t have projects that require quality scans.
  • Be very specific about what your deliverables will be and the scope of work. 3D scans of buildings are not like prints – they are way more complicated and come in countless forms. Make sure your client knows exactly what you are going to give them.
  • Keep in mind that when you are doing 3D reality capture on a jobsite, you are not just a service provider – you are a subcontractor. This means you need to sign the subcontractor agreements from the general contractor and get the insurance they require.
  • Last, balance your investment in this technology with the understanding that your clients will probably eventually buy their own 3D scanning equipment. In other words, don’t bet the store on this market!

(To see DiPasquale's presentation, click here to log into the IRgA Member Portal, then click on the Reports and Recorded Webinars tab on the left. The presentations from the event are the top link.)

     The next speaker on the 3D reality capture panel was Keith Cox from Matterport, who discussed his company’s technology.

     Cox explained that Matterport scanners are in the middle level of the technology. They cost $6,000 to $7,000, which is about one-tenth of what a Leica 3D scanner costs. They do not offer the same quality as the Leica, but they do satisfy a great number of jobsite applications, such as creating basic as-built scans and scans of buildings slated for renovation. Higher end applications, such as scans to determine floor flatness on a building under construction, require a higher end camera.

     The Matterport also can be used to create videos, which makes it a good tool to create “walk-throughs.” Owners are particularly pleased to see a project in a virtual walk-through, he explained. He showed an example of a walk-through depicting the precise path an air handler would travel through a building to its final location. This walk-through assured the owner that the air handler transport would not damage the walls or floors of the building on its way up.

     The Matterport system automatically uploads the scans in real time, so they can be viewed and used immediately. The files are stored on the cloud so clients can access them via the internet. And because clients like the constant access to their files, service providers can charge monthly fees.

     Another feature Cox discussed is “Mattertags,” which are digital tags placed on the 3D files that link a spot on the scan to more information. For example, a Mattertag could be placed on a pipe in a scan, and when someone clicks on it, it takes them to a specifications page about that pipe. For even more detail, owners can place sensors on key pieces of equipment and have that data automatically feed into the 3D file (this is an example of the “internet of things” concept).

     The final speaker on the panel, Becky Norton, introduced attendees to Ricoh’s handheld Theta 360 Camera. This highly affordable piece of equipment was introduced in 2013 and is now in its seventh generation, she explained. The Theta X model, the top end version, sells for $799 on Ricoh’s website.

     The Theta is on the low end of 3D reality capture, but is still usable for many applications that do not require a high degree of precision, such as “down-and-dirty” walkthroughs. And the camera is compatible with Matterport’s application, so the scans can be used in much the same way as scans from a Matterport scanner.

     The Theta does not require a stand, nor does the user have to spin it. It takes 360-degree images of whatever space the user is standing in. It weighs just a quarter-pound.

     Altogether, the panelists presented three distinct levels of quality of 3D reality capture and helped the attendees envision how this technology could become part of their business.

(To see all of the presentations, click here to log into the IRgA Member Portal, then click on the Reports and Recorded Webinars tab on the left. The presentations from the event are the top link.)

In the next edition of IRgA Today, we will offer highlights from the other presentations of the workshop. Stay tuned!