The FUTURE of 3D Modeling? Using Lidar Scanning for 3D!

[@Thesketchupessentials]

Hi everyone! Have you tried Lidar scanning for 3D? Let me know how it went in the comments below! :)

[@RaulRomeroelsalvadorjalisco]

Hi I have a 3D Trimble acabes tx8 which software can I use for poin cloud, and is it any version for Mac ?

[@diegojustus711]

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@hasoevo]

I use the photo mode in Polycam to get better results. Then use Nomad Sculpt to clean the geometry, decimate and combine the high resolution texture together. Then into Cozy Blanket to retopologize. All done on the iPad Pro and can be done on iPhone Pro as well. I use my scans for AR VR MR metaverse stuff, but may be helpful for your workflow as well.

[@ReDevil67]

I'm an engineer and oftenly use the LIDAR in my Iphone 12 pro. It helps a lot, the way I use it is to scan houses and buildings, and, also use Polycam for it. But, sometimes big houses and big buildings are a little bit hard on the Iphone to keep track of everything and often it loses track of your scan. The way I solve it is to scan sections of the buildings based in, size and furniture. The more furniture present the smaller the section gets, then I import everything to sketchup and, like a puzzle I assemble all the sections to form the "floor" that I'm working at. But that's just for the overall footprint of the building. After that I open a fresh model in sketchup and with my account of Polycam opened I go and measure all the stuff that I need and model it in sketchup from the start, but also, keep tracking of where the rooms are in that building. This workflow make me measure and do the Architectural Project of the building in Sketchup with Layout in 1 day for a building of 470,00 m² or 5060 sft. To measure is around 1:30h and to do all the project is around 5 - 6 hours.

[@ЖИЗНЬСДЛИННЫМ]

Do you know how to make a model from the scanned mesh, once in sketchup? So you can further edit it ? Shape and add objects to it?

[@ReDevil67]

@@ЖИЗНЬСДЛИННЫМ I do it by hand, the mesh of scanned materials is hardly “workable”. You can simplify some meshes with stuff like Transmutr, but the mesh will still be messy. The only way to improve your performance with this tech is by using it as a “tape measure” and as a guide to get the most realistic result. Some extensions help you a lot in this process, the ones I tend to use is: - 1001 bit tools - Instant Architecture - Zorro2 - Fredo Tools And, if you’re using Enscape to render, Skatter is essencial.

[@ЖИЗНЬСДЛИННЫМ]

@@ReDevil67 because I’ve being searching for clues whole week. I scanned the terrain. And I want to to most accurate measurement possible. I need to dig a pool in that terrain. So I moved it in sketchup, made a cube - as a pool excavation. Than placed it inside the terrain, so I can see outline of the terrain on the cube, a can also draw on that cube lines of the terrain, thought using push and pull options and tried to have a grid on that cube and push each part downwards until it meets the terrain, but it’s too complicated. Wish I could just delete part above the terrain and know the volume in entity of the bottom part..

[@ReDevil67]

@@ЖИЗНЬСДЛИННЫМ Group the pool and place it where you want it to be on the terrain, then, select the terrain, right click with mouse > intersect faces > with model. Move the pool somewhere else to see the terrain without the pool and delete the faces where the pool would be. Make sure you have a backup of your model first, sometimes the intersect faces command glitches sketchup in the case of a heavy model. Also, if sketchup freezes, justo go take a coffee and come back later and it will be done, the time will also depend on your computer processor.

[@ЖИЗНЬСДЛИННЫМ]

@@ReDevil67 so this procedure would cut the pool shape of the terrain?

[@RaydonConcepts]

I use the Canvas app for almost all of my Interior projects now. For 15 cents a sqft they send you back a SketchUp model within 2-3 business days depending on the size. It has tremendously sped up my workflow to tackle multiple projects in a shorter time frame. Totally worth the money in my opinion as I factor it into my costs and have the client cover it. I’ve also used it for a few Exterior projects and they only charge 10 cents a sqft for those.

[@simonmou88]

I am working on a restoration of a timber frame house from around year 1600. I use LiDAR on my iPhone to scan details and draw on top of it in Revit. I also recently imported a scan of the exterior of a building and imported it into twin motion for a rendering

[@Thesketchupessentials]

Nice - love it!

[@dinhobueno412]

Can you use in autocad 3D?

[@kmonk7853]

This is a game changer, thanks for the video Justin, and thanks for keeping up with this technology and presenting it to us, much appreciated!!

[@Thesketchupessentials]

👍

[@johnjlopez]

It's highly recommended to use a gimbal if you are going to scan anything that will require you to walk around while then iPhone is recording it. The accuracy of the scan is helped significantly. There is also a service that will convert these lidar scans to simple skp models for relatively cheap but I forget the name. A had a client try it and it was likly the cheaper path as opposed to me doing it myself and then I only had to deal with the rehab portion of the project instead of the grunt work of converting it.

[@Thesketchupessentials]

Interesting- I hadn’t thought about a gimbal

[@LiDAR3D]

True. Using an iPad usually gives a more accurate scan as well since you hold it more steadily using two hands.

[@GooseMcdonald]

I use it a lot in my work, doing existing plans.

[@Thesketchupessentials]

As-built type stuff? I could see it being great for that

[@metatron74]

I do retail design… for this i often need elements with a natural feel… like coats on a hanger or a stack of tshirts on a display…. For these I use a combination of photogrammetry or LiDAR scans (also a big fan of polycam) and then I import into sketchup using the transmutr extension that can reduce the number of polygons….

[@Thesketchupessentials]

Yeah Transmutr is great for simplifying the meshes for sure

[@westcoastaerialimagery4690]

I just scanned ~30m of wall with the iphone 13 pro, total station pinged it at 30.275m, lidar data in cloudcompare has it as 29.241m. On hard stand surfaces it's around +/-50mm (vertical checks) but on grass and dirt it was ~200mm too high IMU drift is pretty bad so keep scans short and sweet, place control marks of known distances to check. I coordinate and scale everything in cloud compare to ensure better results from the scans

[@12jasroxy]

I think it could be really helpful scanning various landscape features around a project to add to the basic topo mesh along with other components such as plants, trees, boulders. It could provide more detail upon an otherwise bland surface. It’s a hassle sometimes needing rely on placemaker to get that information within their service.

[@LiDAR3D]

We think so too so we made a video about scanning outdoor areas which you can find on our channel.

[@imalumberzach]

We use Canvas a lot to convert scans direct to SketchUp files. It's not always perfect, but great for representations of spaces. You can usually tell by looking at your scan if it's going to be right or not (there are weird overlaps where measurements might not be right). Unfortunately Canvas recently increased their pricing so this is no longer an affordable option, but still worth it on many projects for us.

[@Thesketchupessentials]

Interesting - I keep meaning to test this out but haven’t had a chance yet

[@LiDAR3D]

Exactly. We have a process for how to work around drift issues which you can also use if you require mm accuracy in specific areas. Please have a look at our channel and website for more info and our pricing.

[@aivarg472]

I dig pools, and i use it to Scan backyards, to keep all the distances from different obstacles and to be able to revisit place virtually if needed. I would also want to be able to count volumes of the ground that needs to be excavated. I transfer the scan data from Polycam into SketchUp. But than mesh itself is quite thin. You had some videos where you extended the terrain downwards. Video about sliced terrain, first five minutes gave clue how I could theoretically extend scanned terrain .Than Also video ”creating flat surfaces on terrain”. So these 2 videos plus LiDAR data in order to count volumes needed to be extracted from terrain. Ability to count that would save a ton of time for me. Do you think it’s doable using sketchup pro or you need studio.?

[@Thesketchupessentials]

Not sure - if you could get it solid with the mesh and joint push pull you’d probably be ok with pro, but otherwise you’d probably need something to help you work with the scan data

[@aivarg472]

@@Thesketchupessentials thanks, will keep on looking. What about doing it in blender?

[@aivarg472]

@@Thesketchupessentials hi again, i ve managed to create contour lines from the 3d scanned mesh, than created a topography using a toposhaper. It is still not a solid group to know the volume . Any tips from here?

[@stahlmandesign]

To use these scans (photogrammetry or Lidar) in SketchUp, we need the ability to turn off the inferencing. If we could select a component or group and tell SketchUp to ignore it, THEN we could start drawing rectangles that stick to the axes, and extrude our walls and shapes until we have rebuilt a clean model.

[@Thesketchupessentials]

It would have to be a hot key or something - set your first point, then toggle inferencing off

[@_Breakdown]

Thanks Justin - - *Can you recommend a good 3D printer for making models from SketchUp layers?* 🤔👨‍🔧👷‍♂

[@tonystarks5721]

Hello Justin, I used Polycam scan then import DAE to Sketchup. But I have to cut the mesh for example holes for place model in it. But very difficult to do, Could you advise, what extension can allow cut mesh in sketch up?

[@dinhobueno412]

Hi, very good video. Here in Brazil we do not use Lidar. Can I use Lidar in autocad 3D project?

[@PavanKumar-w3t1g]

I would like to make use of this lidar to recover the crushed tin 3d images will that be possible?

[@suvasis]

I have a .ply image from outster lidar, Which software is suitable for 3D modelization?

[@metatron74]

I have been meaning to try the canvas app that scans with LiDAR but exports into sketchup format….

[@Thesketchupessentials]

Same - I'm pretty sure they're doing manual processing on the back end though

[@thomasluk4319]

I am autonomous engineer. and I am working on a project for creating a simulation virtual environment for vehicle sim. Photogrammtry and LiDAR scan is the way our team to correct real scene data, however, the hard part is actually what you have mentioned in the video, its really really hard to model on top of those raw scanning data... The reason why I cannot directly import the model into the sim environment, is beeacuse the model resultion is too high that the sim engine cannot perform well. Have you every used "Scan essentials" or "Undet"? I am very interested the workflow for these kind of program!

[@krypt2k25]

Mesh is a similar software u can just take pictures and feed it that and itll make a model out of that to model but yes lidar is pretty much simpler faster version of that only ill soon get an ipad for that ..

[@HansBogers]

Hi Justin, I have a question that 3D scanning has had my attention for a long time, but as you said in the video, it is still very expensive. I've had a Depth Camera D415 for a while now that I could use with Dot3D software. But then I got the license for a month and it worked fine. Only the prices are very high to use it as a hobby. Do you happen to know any software I can use with that Depth Camera D415. greeting Hans

[@Thesketchupessentials]

No clue - I don’t know anything about that piece of tech or what it does

[@HansBogers]

@@Thesketchupessentials okay, thanks. I was hoping you did. Groetjes

[@Beloff777]

Great tutorial and damn bruh all this time u had a Blender channel too! 🤯🤯

[@Thesketchupessentials]

Heck yeah - loving Blender for sure! :)

[@kevocos]

Amazing and exciting where technology is going. I have to say thought for my interest this doesn't provide the required level of accuracy. I'd like to survey existing spaces, import the scan into sketchup and then produced models and ultimatley drawings for cabinetry. Given the required standard of the finished work I need to be satisfied that the scan can reproduce a scan to millimetre accuracy. Can anyone recommend a setup to meet those requirements? Magicplan may be an option as it seems to facilatate verification of scanned dimensions by laser measurement although I'm unsure if that is any more accurate.

[@Thesketchupessentials]

In that case you’d probably need a more advanced laser scanner rather than an IPhone

[@LiDAR3D]

Do you need mm accuracy everywhere in the scan or only in specific areas? iPhone 14 + a gimbal can improve the overall accuracy but we still recomment taking extra control measurements where mm accuracy is required.

[@KighaFreewren989]

Lidar scanning is something I want to continue using because I mainly model for game asset creation, and it's perfect for low-detail. The literal only downside to lidar scanning is it's lack of texture/mesh detail compared to something like photogrammetry. However, the amount of time you save by lidar scanning something is astronomical and a MUCH better option, imo. The only reason I'd suggest Photogrammetry at this point over lidar scanning is if you need REALLY high-detail models. Lidar is a fantastic toolset for 3D creators and I hope the tech continues to grow!

[@Thesketchupessentials]

I'd agree with this assessment - the meshes are...difficult, but it is really fast

[@pastuh]

All games which use photorealistic scans is amazing :) Example: Witchfire Obvious they scan much bigger objects, but it helps a lot.. I know even Flight Simulator was created with this technology

[@Thesketchupessentials]

Oh - don't get me wrong - the technology is amazing! Photoscanned assets from places like Megascans can be really great as well. That said, I think there's a certain amount of processing that has to be done to get the meshes where they need to be, and at least at the moment my skill level isn't there yet. I am a MASSIVE fan of this tech though!

[@umabhanuchakka5372]

Hi

[@Flamenawer]

P30 Pro had lidar built in from 2 years before that any iphone.

[@Thesketchupessentials]

Ok

[@RenataJensen]

how does work outdoor?

[@Thesketchupessentials]

Seems to work pretty well

[@LiDAR3D]

We have a video about this on out channel if you want to see more details

[@noway8233]

The big problem.is acuracy and resolution

[@Thesketchupessentials]

Like it’s not accurate enough?

[@cekuhnen]

LiDAR is really over hyped as it is right now - zero app produces usable drift free results. LiDAR informed photogrammetry is quite useful like in Trinio

[@Thesketchupessentials]

I've used it in multiple cases for multiple things. It's much faster than trying to pull a tape measure to measure existing spaces. Would I use the phone data for something that needs ultra precision? Probably not, but in most cases, people don't need that level of precision

[@cekuhnen]

@@Thesketchupessentials we use it to document spaces - this is ten times better than taking photos For that LiDAR scan is amazing or capturing an object idea But for everything where you need precision it is pointless - and in construction you need precision. Because of the drift LiDAR scans have walls can rotate bend and such. The iPhone hardware is just not made for that type of work. We build our own LiDAR Scanner rig and programmed it - this is more precise but stationary. Even with Google’s slams can drift is an issue. Just a technical limitation of the tech

[@cekuhnen]

@@Thesketchupessentials even canvas app who claim for years to do it best just deliver a tech limited scan result. Look into systems that use LiDAR for scale and photogrammetry for the mesh detail - those systems are much better

[@cekuhnen]

@@Thesketchupessentials the tape measurement dear lord Interesting will be apples room scan and their new api allows more high res images to be used for ARKit and lidar

[@sirrodneyffing1]

You may be late to the party. Have you seen MidJourney? Give that half dozen photos soon and it will blow lidar out of the water. Can't say I'm that enthusiastic about AI Art but it looks to be inevitable.

[@Electroguepard]

Yeah... no imperial measurements please XDDD

[@Thesketchupessentials]

Lol - sorry, that's how my brain is wired 😜

[@RROOBBWWAANN]

But you know this has nothing to do with LIDAR? There is no laser in the iPhone. This is photogrammetry. You should scan e.g. a table and compare the dimensions obtained from scans and reality. Length, width, top thickness and angles.

[@Thesketchupessentials]

No it definitely is not photogrammetry - the Iphone literally has a Lidar scanner built in. Now is it lasers or a different kind of light? No clue, but it's really Lidar

[@RROOBBWWAANN]

@@Thesketchupessentials The distance to the point that is projected onto the object is not measured with a laser there. The program calculates the distance based on the change of the distance BETWEEN points.

[@Thesketchupessentials]

@@RROOBBWWAANN I'm definitely not educated enough in this area to have this discussion - for my purposes, since I'm not seeing anyone calling out Apple for deceptive advertising on this product, I have to assume this is at least technically Lidar by definition, and that it's more than photogrammetry. I can't really contribute more than to this discussion, other than it has been quite helpful to me for realistic measuring on multiple projects

[@RROOBBWWAANN]

​@@ThesketchupessentialsOkay, you are right. The front camera has no LIDAR. The rear one has what can be called a LIDAR. It is a ToF camera. Make a scan of e.g. the desk for the test. Upload to SU. Check the dimensions with the actual ones. I mean the proportions if they are kept and what is the accuracy.

[@LiDAR3D]

@@RROOBBWWAANN The iOS LiDAR scanner generates models in correct scale as opposed to photogrammetry based alternatives like the front camera. Please note that the LiDAR sensor works better for capturing spaces than it does for objects such as a desk. Polycam has a capture mode which combined LiDAR and Photogrammetry which works pretty well for furniture.

[@johnisley1285]

Sort of a waste of time

[@Thesketchupessentials]

What specifically is a waste of time?