Survey using iphone lidar?

[Thomas Holm]

There are some iPads and now iPhones that have lidar scanners built in.
I’d like to know if anyone is using these together with some app to survey small projects, like apartments to be refurbished, to import into Archicad?
If so, what apps do you recommend, and what’s your recommended workflow?
I’d guess that there’s now a huge opportunity to save both time and money for a small firm like ours.
Pre-thanks for any tips & tricks!

[Karl Ottenstein]

Hi Thomas,

See this thread concerning the Canvas app for Lidar-equipped iPhone/iPads:

https://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=58786

Output options include SketchUp, Revit, IFC and Chief Architect.

Cheers,
Karl

[Richard Morrison]

You might take a look at Magicplan. (www.magicplan.app) On their blog, they have a short video showing measuring an apartment --- including doors and windows -- with an iPhone 12 Pro, all of which were measured and drawn in 2D & 3D in about 7 minutes. You can use this app in conjunction with a Bluetooth laser measuring device for more accurate measurements where needed. With the LiDAR alone, it generally was within about 3-5% accuracy. Of course, you could come back later and get critical measurements and adjust the wall locations in the app.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Interesting, Richard. Canvas is 1 to 2% accuracy and you get an actual CAD file to import into ARCHICAD as a reference model (or use directly in Revit, Chief Architect or SketchUp)... but do have to wait a couple of days for a human CAD technician to generate it. Magicplan seems to aim for broader functionality for remodelers but seems oriented to simple rectilinear spaces without modeling of all of the details like Canvas does. On the other hand, you get an instant result which is pretty cool!

Canvas's result is more accurate and more detailed (mouldings, custom cabinets etc) - and can be precise by providing them with actual measurements for critical dimensions when they do the scan-to-cad conversion.

Worth taking a look at each.

[Thomas Holm]

Interesting. Thanks for all of your answers! Now I have some work to do, digging in. I’ve got a feeling this is a field that will be developing fast!

[Karl Ottenstein]

Just came across this CNET article on Canvas on the iPhone 12 Pro. Includes 1 minute overview usage video, and a navigatable scan:

https://www.cnet.com/news/lidar-scanner-feature-apple-iphone-12-pro-see-it-in-action-3d-scanning-app...

And this more recent one on 9 to 5 Mac which better shows how they include models of cabinetry etc:

https://9to5mac.com/2020/12/15/3d-scans-of-your-home-in-canvas-app/