Jay Meszar | Solutions Consultant
Typically, when I write a blog post here at IMAGINiT, I write about something that has to do with how to do this or that. Today’s post is a bit different. Today I am going to write about the world of Reality Capture and ask a few questions to see if you and your company are ready to venture into this world.
Many times I speak with clients who are looking to purchase the equipment to assist their company in keeping up with the changing times of acquiring real world conditions, and they don’t realize all that goes into accomplishing this task.
It is very important before going too far that we understand what we are talking about when we use the term Reality Capture. This simply means that we are measuring real world conditions. While the mind tends to wonder to and think we NEED some fancy equipment for this, that isn’t necessarily the case. As long as a person with firsthand knowledge of a site is documenting the conditions of that site, the instrument can be as basic as a tape measure (with paper and pencil) or a cell phone camera. Of course, the latest technology is so impressive that we would not be thorough if we didn’t take a look at it.
The software that is available in today’s market is nothing short of remarkable. A series of photos can be taken of an object or area and turned into a point cloud for creating measurements of the real world environment. Depending on the camera and number of photos, the result can be fairly accurate. Laser scanners have also become a huge part of many organization’s workflows. These scanners can range from the relatively inexpensive to a substantial capital investment. The difference between the different types of scanners is based on the features and capabilities of the different units. What does that mean for pricing? Well, venturing into scanning can range from $20k to $150k and beyond. This is the reason I am writing this article. I can see the look on some clients faces when those numbers are mentioned, and they simply can’t believe it.
While I believe everything comes down to how much is something going to cost as well as what the value of the technology will mean to an organization, there are a number of items to consider before your company jumps into the world of Reality Capture. First, I can’t stress enough that while many of the scanners available today are straightforward and easy to use, training is a must. There are certain methodologies and workflows (deepening on what you’ll do with the collected data) that can make the scanning process much easier, valuable and cost efficient than the default “trial and error” method many opt for. Next, the question “what type of scanner do I need?” should be one of the first questions you ask yourself. Many times, people think the best scanner for them is the one that doesn’t cost a lot of money. However, this can be a shortsighted thought process. For scanning short distances, which don’t necessarily require a high-level of detail and accuracy, the task could be accomplished with an entry level scanner. Whereas an organization which requires high-detail, high-accuracy and the ability to utilize a survey workflow will likely be better off with a professional series scanner with those capabilities.
Once the data is collected it is moved from the scanner to a computer for data processing. This is where pre-planning for hardware expenses is paramount. Often, this is where new users will figure out they need more storage space than they likely have. When collecting data using a professional series laser scanner, we measure our project data size in gigabytes, not megabytes. This means that some organizations will need to add storage capacity to their workstations. Many times, this isn’t thought about until after they have purchased the equipment to do the scanning. Because budgeted dollars have been spent on the scanning hardware without planning for computer (storage, etc) expenses, frustration often sets in. Computer hardware is definitely one of the prime considerations an organization should keep in mind when budgeting for implementing scanning technology.
Too many times I have heard people say that they know they will need more storage space and their computer is good because they have an i7 processor. While an i7 processor is a must, a multicore processor definitely speeds things up.
I remember working in a computer store as a teenager and buying one-megabyte memory sticks for anywhere from $50 to $100 (yes, I am that old). I also remember when 32 GB of memory was a ton of memory. Personally, I would recommend as much memory as you can afford in your workstations. Memory is also a must on any video card you use in a workstation.
The hardware you work with to process the point cloud are every bit as important as the scanning equipment you use to collect the data.
I have re-read this post enough times to know that it sounds like I am being negative about using reality capture as a cost effective method of capturing real world existing conditions. My intent isn’t to warn potential users away from the technology. My intent is to provide anyone reading this post with a small list of possible pitfalls that will make the transition to reality capture a smooth and pleasant one.
IMAGINiT Technologies has been involved with Reality Capture technology and consulting services for almost 20 years. Over the years, we have had the benefit of being involved in many services/education engagements with a wide range of customers using a range of different reality capture technologies. If you have questions about reality capture, contact us. We can help.
This article was featured on the Autodesk Civil Engineering Community Center http://civil-community.autodesk.com/
Posted by: Eric Chappell | 12/07/2017 at 09:46 AM