Technology in Architectural Practice

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The AIA Technology in Architectural Practice Knowledge Community (TAP) serves as a resource for AIA members, the profession, and the public in the deployment of computer technology in the practice of architecture. TAP leaders monitor the development of computer technology and its impact on architecture practice and the entire building life cycle, including design, construction, facility management, and retirement or reuse.

    

  • 1.  Photogrammetry Software

    Posted 08-07-2020 07:03 PM

    We are evaluating lower-cost photogrammetry software for building documentation, including the development of building information models in Revit or CAD drawings in AutoCAD. We gave a trial to Autodesk Recap Photo and it's routinely failing to assemble a montage of an average interior room or a simple building (even a farm shed). We're writing it off.

     

    Does anyone have a suggestion on another product? We don't demand point-cloud-level precision, but a ready recording tool that would let us look at material conditions and give us general dimensions (starting with interior ones) on which we can base schematic drawings.

     

    Brian Broadus AIA

    Senior Project Director

    Perspectus Architecture

    Cleveland, Ohio

     

    Sent from Mail for Windows 10

     


    Brian Broadus     

    AIA, LEED®
    Senior Project Director

                                          

    Perspectus Architecture

    13212 Shaker Square

    Cleveland, Ohio 44120

    216.752.1800  

    www.perspectusarch.com




  • 2.  RE: Photogrammetry Software

    Posted 08-10-2020 06:28 PM
    Have you tried matterport? It's a hardware solution, only effective inside, but a fraction of the cost of Faro scanners.

    https://matterport.com/

    ------------------------------
    Ben Trusty AIA
    Senior Project Architect / BIM Manager
    Randall-Paulson Architects Inc.
    Roswell GA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Photogrammetry Software

    Posted 08-10-2020 10:35 PM
    Another option is Canvas by Occipital (https://support.canvas.io). This is an app that can use the lidar scanner in the newest iPad Pro to scan an environment. It can also use the Structure sensor attached to a non-lidar iPad instead. Claimed accuracy is 98%, which sounds good but amounts to about a 2" error in 10 feet. But it might be ok for what you're thinking of using it for.

    I'm intrigued myself because of the low initial cost. But I haven't actually tried it out and would love to hear from someone who has.

    I believe the app itself is free, but output costs between $15-$39 per scan depending on what kind of output you want (2d floor plan at the low end, Sketchup file at midrange, and Revit or IFC file at the high end). You'd need multiple scans for multi-room or complex spaces, which are stitched together via an online service as part of the per-scan fee.

    Hardware costs would be about $800 for an 11-inch iPad Pro, or $500 for the Structure Sensor that you attach to a lesser iPad that you already own.

    ------------------------------
    Jody Keppers AIA
    President
    Keppers Design
    Duluth MN
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Photogrammetry Software

    Posted 08-11-2020 06:17 PM
    Don't waste your money on the Structure sensor. At least not until they update the Canvas software to work better with the new version of the sensor they are selling. It does not handle large rooms and is susceptible to low light conditions even though it uses an IR laser. I have had better results on freestanding objects like casework or historic objects that I have scanned using their Uplink software that links to a desktop machine or laptop. I have not tried their new software that work with the built-in scanner. That may be my next option - trade in my 11-inch iPad Pro for a newer one.
    You can save the cost of sending out the scans for reprocessing and export the scan right off the iPad to a .PLY file. However, Occipital must have some kind of proprietary process that maps images from the tablet's camera right to the mesh. That process costs only $3 per file and at least gives you a better looking output than a plan mesh. If you have BIM software that will read point clouds or can import .OBJ files you can use the mesh to trace your scan into BIM. You can send a sketch along with the scans for processing if you have dimensions you want to hold in a CAD file, but that kind of defeats the reason for scanning instead of measuring by hand in my book.

    ------------------------------
    Dan Wyckoff AIA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Photogrammetry Software

    Posted 08-12-2020 07:07 PM
    I was skeptical that scanning would make financial sense. But a recent hire said he had used Canvas so we gave it a try. Between the time on site to scan, the cost for processing the scans, and the bit of time to tweek the Revit model we get back....it makes sense. We're a 3 person firm and the net cost using this process, from site visit to a model ready to begin design work, was less expensive than the 26-34 billable hours to measure by hand and (Revit) model a typical project. Besides, we've been surprisingly busy and having the employees free to work on other projects while Canvas is (mostly) building our as-built Revit model has been helfpul. I'll continue to monitor the costs vs benefit but right now, I'm a believer.

    ------------------------------
    Thomas Ahleman AIA
    Principal
    Studio Talo Architecture, Inc.
    Evanston IL
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Photogrammetry Software

    Posted 08-12-2020 07:35 PM
    Thanks for the first-hand info. A few more detailed questions... Were you using the Sensor hardware or a Lidar iPad? How good is the accuracy? How big are the rooms you are scanning?

    ------------------------------
    Jody Keppers AIA
    President
    Keppers Design
    Duluth MN
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Photogrammetry Software

    Posted 08-13-2020 05:46 PM
    We were using an older iPad with the Sensor lens. But I understand that the new iPads have the Lidar lens. We were scanning a 2 1/2 story frame house. The living/dining was probably the longest dimension at around 25' or so. Very good accuracy...no issues there. You can send them the plat of survey and and a few key (overall) dimensions you shoot with a laser and they use that when they assemble the Revit model from the scans.

    --
    Thomas Ahleman AIA, LEED AP
    Principal
    Studio Talo Architecture, Inc. 
    1234 Sherman Ave. Suite 202
    Evanston, IL 60202
    c 773.620.7232
    o 847.733.7300



    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Photogrammetry Software

    Posted 08-11-2020 02:03 PM
    Take a look at Matterport.  Although I have not used it myself, I have seen some pretty useful results at what I believe is a reasonable price-point.

    ------------------------------
    William Laughlin AIA
    Vice President
    Moseley Architects
    Charlotte NC
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Photogrammetry Software

    Posted 08-13-2020 12:04 AM
    We have used Matterport (for interiors) and Drone Deploy (for exteriors) with adequate success for photogrammetry.  The issue we are facing is that we have all this individual data and it's all separated.  We are going to look at Reconstruct and do a pilot project to see it's capabilities.  This application has the capability to combine BIM, drone imagery, scheduling, site photos, 360 imagery, and combine it all in one place for progress tracking.  It appears very promising.

    ------------------------------
    Adam Hockley
    CM-BIM, Assoc. AIA
    Bartlett Cocke General Contractors
    San Antonio TX
    ------------------------------

    Original Message