Providing a walkthrough tour of your facility can be a transformative experience for your team and your stakeholders, especially when you can have GPRS leverage advanced technologies like 3D photogrammetry to create virtual tours so accurate that you can even take off-site rough measurements with them. Below, you will find a quick listing of how employing walkthrough virtual tours, like our new WalkThru 3D, can help you build better.
Understanding 3D Photogrammetry and Matterport
3D photogrammetry is a process that involves capturing high-resolution images to represent 3D spaces. In contrast, 3D laser scanning uses LiDAR to create 3D point clouds that can be used to make accurate 3D models of physical spaces. 3D technology allows for the precise documentation of existing conditions, enabling the creation of digital twins that represent real-world environments. GPRS uses professional-grade 3D cameras to capture 360° images and data points with remarkable accuracy, making it possible to create rectified, immersive, interactive walkthroughs of facilities.
Matterport, on the other hand, is a leading hardware company and software technology platform specifically designed for creating detailed photogrammetry and virtual tours of interior spaces. It uses advanced 3D cameras and software to stitch together images, producing a seamless virtual experience that allows users to explore spaces as if they were physically present.
GPRS also utilizes 3D photogrammetry to create tools for construction progress reporting with ProCap Progressive Capture.
Walkthrough Tours: The Process
- Initial Consultation and Planning: Begin by calling GPRS to discuss your facility's specific needs. This involves understanding the areas to be documented, the level of detail required, and the purpose of the walkthrough tour—whether for design, construction, maintenance, or emergency planning. GPRS can provide full above and below-ground site documentation and can capture field markings for utility locating, concrete scanning, and allow for annotations within WalkThru 3D.
- Site Scanning: GPRS Project Managers will visit your facility to conduct 3D scans using photogrammetry and Matterport cameras. As mentioned above, depending on the level of infrastructure documentation required, we can capture everything above and below-ground. The photogrammetry scanning process involves setting up the cameras at various locations throughout the facility to capture comprehensive data. If you need a higher level of detail, a 3D laser scan takes less than 20 seconds and captures over 100,000 data points, ensuring high-resolution and accurate 3D models.
- Data Processing and Model Creation: The 3D photogrammetry is then rectified, which means the individual photographic areas are stitched together to create an accurate 3D representation that can be “walked though” at the viewer’s pace.
For greater detail and accuracy, 3D laser-captured data is then processed to create a detailed 3D model of the facility. This model can also be viewed as a virtual tour, providing an immersive experience where users can navigate through the space, inspect features, and take virtual measurements. GPRS offers additional services like creating accurate as-built floor plans (FLRPLN), which can be used for design planning, risk mitigation, and emergency preparedness.
- Delivery and Access: The final walkthrough tour is delivered digitally and can be accessed via GPRS' SiteMap® platform. This cloud-based software allows for easy sharing, downloading, and viewing on any device, making it accessible to all stakeholders involved in the project. The virtual tour can include annotations, embedded videos, and detailed information to enhance communication and collaboration.
Benefits of Walkthrough Tours
- Accurate Documentation: Walkthrough tours provide a permanent, portable 3D record of your facility. This is invaluable for identifying structural and mechanical features, planning maintenance activities, and future renovations. The accuracy of the 3D models ensures that all dimensions and conditions are precisely captured.
- Enhanced Collaboration: Virtual tours allow team members, contractors, and stakeholders to remotely explore and assess the facility. This reduces the need for physical site visits, saving time and travel costs while improving decision-making processes.
- Improved Planning and Design: By providing a detailed view of existing conditions, walkthrough tours help in planning and designing modifications or new installations. This minimizes errors, clashes, and change orders, streamlining the construction process and keeping projects on schedule and within budget.
- Emergency Preparedness: Virtual tours can be used to create realistic emergency response guides. They can display exits, fire extinguishers, and other critical safety features, enhancing training for employees and first responders.
- Efficient Project Management: Walkthrough tours are a powerful tool for project management, enabling the monitoring of construction progress, verification of completed work, and approval of change orders. They provide a clear visual reference that helps keep all project participants aligned
Setting up a walkthrough tour of your facility using GPRS's advanced 3D photogrammetry technology offers numerous benefits. From accurate documentation and improved collaboration to enhanced planning and emergency preparedness, these virtual tours transform how facilities are managed and maintained.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a laser scanner and a 3D camera?
A laser scanner uses laser beams to measure distances and create detailed 3D models of environments or objects. It captures precise spatial data, producing point clouds with high accuracy. In contrast, a 3D camera uses stereo vision or structured light to capture depth information, creating 3D images. While 3D cameras are generally faster and more portable, they may not achieve the same level of detail and accuracy as laser scanners, making them suitable for different applications. Learn how GPRS can provide full above and below-ground 3D visualizations, here.
What is the difference between rectified photogrammetry and a 3D point cloud?
A rectified 3D image is an image that has been corrected for distortions, ensuring that the perspective and scale are accurate, often used in photogrammetry for accurate measurements. It presents 3D data in a 2D format. A 3D point cloud, however, is a collection of data points defined in a three-dimensional coordinate system, representing the surface geometry of an object or environment. Point clouds provide raw, detailed spatial information, whereas rectified 3D images offer a visually coherent and corrected representation. Learn more about 3D laser scanning here.
