DotProduct Blog - DotProduct

Then & Now: Scanning a 6BR House with Dot3D

1/5/2024

The game has changed. We've revisited the same residential property three times over the past 8 years, demonstrating the drastic evolution of #Dot3D scanning from its roots on the Android-based DPI-8 kit to the Windows-based Intel RealSense platform, to one of our more popular and practical solutions today: Dot3D for iOS!

What used to take 13 scans, now takes one. What used to involve labor intensive measurement and preparation, now requires none. What used to take 4+ hours can be done in 20 minutes or less. And what used to cost ≈$5K, can now be acheived with no more than a $300 app and the right phone. Dot3D has never been more powerful and accessible than it is today. Give it a try and see for yourself: www.dotproduct3d.com

Session 1 (2015):
Total Scans: 13
Scan Time: 4 hours
3D camera: DPI-8 kit (≈2.5K)
Software: Phi.3D (predecessor to Dot3D, $2500 perpetual)
OS: Android
Tablet/Phone: NVIDIA SHIELD
Scan-to-scan Registration: Hand-measured survey targets

Session 2 (2021):
Total Scans: 2
Scan Time: 30 minutes
3D camera: Intel RealSense D455 kit (DP-calibrated, $795)
Software: Dot3D Pro ($995 / year)
OS: Windows
Tablet/Phone: Microsoft Surface Go
Scan-to-scan Registration: Overlapping AprilTags

Session 3 (2023):
Total Scans: 1
Scan Time: 20 minutes
3D camera: iPhone 15 Pro Max (embedded LiDAR camera)
Software: Dot3D Pro for iOS ($300 / year)
OS: iOS
Tablet/Phone: iPhone 15 Pro Max (any recent Pro model works)
Scan-to-scan Registration: NONE NEEDED

DotProductNews: 2023 Year-End Updates

12/29/2023

Happy New Year!

Thank you for continuing to follow along with us on our journey to make accurate mobile 3D scanning more powerful and accessible than ever. As we conclude business for the year, we'd like to take a few minutes to review some highlights from the past twelve months of Dot3D updates, look back on some of our recent major partnership announcements, and tease ahead to some exciting new updates coming very soon in the new year.

-The DotProduct Team-

Dot3D Feature Recap
Are you up to speed with the latest Dot3D updates?
Are you taking full advantage of them?
Find out more in our latest blog on all that's new and where to find them!

DotProduct partners with Carlson Software to launch powerful new 3D scanning application for Survey and Construction industries
We're also very proud of this month's announcement of our collaboration with Carlson Software for the launch of the new Carlson Scan3D. This powerful new 3D scanning application is now available for both Windows and iOS platforms, delivering simple, fast and accurate handheld 3D scanning for land surveying, mining, construction and more. Please see below for the product launch video. We look forward to seeing much more from Carlson Scan3D in the new year.

Texas Southmost College launches new Dot3D scanning course
We're also very proud of all our work with Texas Southmost College over the past year to help develop the curriculum and launch their new Dot3D Crime Scene Modeling course last month. This 1-week forensic course includes extensive classroom training and practical exercises on the use of Dot3D for crime and crash scene documentation. We look forward to seeing this program grow with the next course offering in March. Please click here for more information and registration, and see below for an excellent video on the course:

So, what's next? Looking ahead into 2024...
What's a year-end newsletter without looking ahead to some of what's coming? Get ready for Dot3D 5.0+ on Android, Dot3D cloud sharing/viewing, exciting new GPS/GNSS capabilities, the return of Design Comparison, & much more.

2023 Dot3D feature Recap

12/21/2023

2023 has brought extensive improvements to Dot3D across the board. With new updates almost every month of the year (often several), we've seen a lot of enhancements both under-the-hood and in terms of brand new feature additions. While we're glad to be delivering continually improved results from scans of all shapes and sizes via extensive regular updates to our core technology, we've also introduced a lot of brand new capabilties over the past year and are here today to check in with a quick recap at year's end. We want to make sure you're all up to speed and taking full advantage of each of these features, large and small.

Here's our recap of a lot of what's been added this past year, starting with the most recent:

1. Lat/Long referencing now available (U.S. only, converts to State Plane coordinates)

2. Ability to delete AprilTags and AprilTag detections in the scene viewer (targets tab)

3. Dot3D will now flag potentially bogus AprilTag detections in the Targets tab

4. Ability to set a custom thumbnails for scenes

5. Option to enter the name of the scan right after hitting the new-scan button

6. Photo annotation export, including photos alongside JSON file of the annotations

7. Option to export 3D sensor RGB frames

8. Ability to load auto-saved raw version of a scan from the 3D scene view.

9. New protection of Autosave files (in Autosave folder) from being overwritten

10. Connection to 3D CAD/BIM conversion services via new button within Dot3D

11. Connection to 2D floor plan conversion services via new button within Dot3D

12. Addition of File>Export option on iOS (in addition to Share>Export)

13. Dot3D 5.0+ for Windows (large scenes, fast optimization, new UI, new targeting, etc.)

14. New cropping capability added to Dot3D 5.0+ (iOS & Windows)

15. New Hiding capability (crop but keep points)

16. Improved compatibility with Z+F IMAGER registration workflows

17. Parallel plane constraints (for automatic surface leveling)

And SO much more from the first half of the year!
- New visualization mode during capture (green/yellow/grey or RGB options)
- Ability to control frame spacing as an expert setting
- Option to use manually set reference points as coordinates for export
- Automatic collection of High-res frames during scanning with adjustable spacing
- Experimental export to NVIDIA InstantNGP.
- All high res frames embedded into E57 files
- And much more

DotProduct partners with Carlson Software to launch powerful new 3D scanning application for Survey and Construction industries

12/20/2023

NORWOOD, Massachusetts, USA (December 14, 2023) – Today DotProduct is proud to announce its partnership with Carlson Software for the release of Carlson Scan3D. This new application from Carlson is custom developed on DotProduct's award-winning Dot3D scanning platform and built for the land survey, mining, and construction industries currently served by Carlson Software. It delivers simple, fast, and accurate 3D handheld scanning from both Windows and iOS mobile devices.

Scan3D represents a powerful new addition to the larger suite of Carlson hardware and software solutions. Existing Carlson rugged data collectors are now being transformed into accurate handheld 3D scanners via Scan3D™ and Intel® RealSense™. Users of Carlson GNSS receivers are now able to instantly capture and geo-reference Scan3D point cloud data right from the same rugged tablet that operates the receiver. Meanwhile, Scan3D is also complimenting drone photogrammetry and other traditional scanning methods by providing point cloud information for those impossible-to-view spaces such as building facades and other areas obscured by overhangs or foliage.

The Scan3D workflow provides a simple and affordable path to add detailed, ground-level point cloud data to other clouds, creating more complete, more accurate, and more useful scans and finished CAD deliverables. With Scan3D, users can capture culverts, drainage, vaults, manholes, structures, crime scenes, etc. with ease, and then accurately position and scale them via GNSS and other survey workflows. Those same workflows make it easy to accurately integrate Scan3D point clouds into other point cloud data of the scene, i.e. from drones or terrestrial laser scanners. An example workflow could begin with a photogrammetry drone flight to capture the majority of a site, processed to a point cloud in Carlson PhotoCapture.

1. A view from Carlson PhotoCapture of the photogrammetry drone scan

2. Scanning with Carlson Scan3D

3. The combined clouds in Carlson Point Cloud

“I am extremely excited to partner with Carlson to bring easy to use 3D capture tools to their customers’ toolboxes” said Brian Ahern, CEO of DotProduct LLC. “For 40 years Carlson has been known for improving workflows for surveyors and civil engineers, and Scan3D is a great addition to those workflows.”

Scan3D is now available for both Windows and iOS tablets and phones. Windows-based Scan3D kits include an individually calibrated Intel® RealSense™ depth camera, directly mountable to Carlson’s RT5 or RTk5 rugged tablets. iOS-based Scan3D deployments leverage the embedded LiDAR technology built into the latest iPad Pro and iPhone Pro (and Pro Max) models. Scan3D adds a new tool to the truck for surveyors, engineers, construction professionals, accident reconstruction specialists, and anyone else needing instant, mobile 3D scanning of buildings, walls, spaces, equipment, and much more.

Scan3D running on a Carlson RTk5 rugged tablet data collector

Rear view of the Carlson RTk5 with the Intel RealSense D455 stereo camera installed

Scan3D running on an iPhone 15 Pro

Scan3D is uniquely equipped for Carlson users via direct support for Carlson-specific survey control files, as well as support for in-app survey/civil CAD model comparison via the LandXML file format (coming soon) and support for direct import of compressed .DP point cloud files (coming soon) into Carlson Point Cloud.

"Our customers are always searching for new tools and methods to improve their accuracy, capability, and efficiency." said Butch Herter, Director of Hardware Development at Carlson Software. "The Scan3D solution provides not only a great standalone tool for scanning, but the point clouds it creates are the perfect complement to aerial or terrestrial point cloud data from any source, and integrate gracefully in Carlson's software to create more complete, more useful datasets."

Scan3D relies solely on local processing, meaning no cloud processing or internet connection is required to scan or create a finished point cloud. These resulting point clouds can be merged with larger scale clouds from sources such as terrestrial laser scanners, aerial LiDAR, or aerial photogrammetry to create a single model with accurate coverage of areas that no single device could produce.

To learn more about Carlson Scan3D, please visit carlsonsw.com/product/carlson-scan3d, or contact your Carlson Software Representative or Certified Dealer for pricing, a demo, and to purchase. Scan3D for iOS offers a 7-day free trial and can be found on the App Store here. To locate your representative or dealer, click here.

About Carlson Software Inc.
Founded in 1983, Carlson Software Inc. specializes in CAD design software, field data collection, laser measurement and machine control products for the civil engineering, surveying, GIS, construction, and mining industries worldwide, providing one-source technology solutions for the entire project cycle. Carlson Software is headquartered in Maysville, Ky., U.S.A., with branch offices in Boston, Mass.; Almere, The Netherlands; Melbourne, Australia; Ottawa, Canada; and York, England.

About DotProduct LLC
Founded in 2012, DotProduct develops high performance, easy-to-use solutions for capturing 3D data. Its flagship Dot3D software powers a full suite of handheld 3D capture solutions across the latest tablet, phone, and 3D sensing platforms. The technology is designed for mobile professionals who need quality spatial data, instantly. Dot3D software turns Android, Windows, and iOS phones and tablets into real-time 3D-capture and processing solutions for the job site. Applications include construction, shipbuilding, utilities, architecture, facility management, engineering, public safety, forensics, archaeology, and much more. For more information, please visit www.dotproduct3d.com.

Dot3D x BIMIT, Crime/Crash Scene Webinar, Dot3D 5.1.5, Shipbuilding Webinar Recording, & More

7/19/2023

Catch up on all the latest Dot3D updates in today's newsletter! Read on to find out more about the new scan to BIM workflows available with Dot3D x BIMIT, our next webinar covering Dot3D Scanning for Crime/Crash Scene Mapping, the release of Dot3D 5.1.5, and the full recording of last month's webinar on Dot3D for Shipbuilding with SSI.

Dot3D x BIMIT: Scan to CAD simplified

Scan to BIM just keeps getting easier! Today we're glad to announce we've teamed up with Integrated Projects to provide a new link straight from Dot3D to their BIMIT conversion services (now available in Dot3D 5.1.5 & up). BIMIT is also now accepting DP files directly, making for a fast and seamless workflow. Please click here for a video on the new workflow and here for the webpage.

How much easier can it get? 3D scan to 3D model, all on an iPad Pro!
(3-5 business day processing time not shown)

Watch the Video

Dot3D Scanning for Crime/Crash Scene Mapping:
Updates from an Expert Panel

We invite you to join us on Wednesday July 26th at 11am ET for a live demonstration of the latest Dot3D Pro, broadcasting live from an iPad Pro on the site of a simulated crime scene, followed by an interactive discussion with some of the most experienced Dot3D users in public safety today.

Each of these industry leaders are not only on the ground with the tech daily, but also helping to expand deployment across units and departments, making a growing impact on cases large and small every day. We can't wait to hear more about what they have to share on how Dot3D is working for each of them and their teams today. Please click here for more information and registration.

Dot3D 5.1.5 now available for Windows and iOS

Dot3D 5.1.5 now available for Windows and iOS

Dot3D 5.1.5 is now available. New features and improvements include:

Dot3D View out of the box! VIEW licensing now simplified (not needed)
New CAD / BIM conversion services integration (send to BIMIT!)
New layer of protection for files in Autosave folder (overwrite prevention)
New in-app ability to load the autosaved version of a scan
Optimization enhancements to address complex scenes
Ability to export 3D camera still frames from Dot3D
Various bugfixes and performance improvements

Upgrade to Dot3D 5.1.5 Now (Windows/iOS)

Webinar Recording:
Reality Capture for Shipbuilding with Dot3D & SSI

The full recording of last month's shipbuilding webinar is now available for free viewing. Please click here to access the recording. Thank you again to our friends at SSI for putting this all together and making the recording available to all who may have missed the live session. Stay tuned for more collaboration!

View the Full Recording

Dot3D™ Tip of the Month:
Subscribe to our YouTube channel! This is a core resource for the majority of our best customers. P.S. Let's hit 1K subscribers today! 😎

UPDATE: The new Dot3D 5.1.2 brings large scene sizes, rapid optimization, cropping, hiding, and more to Windows, iOS, RealSense, and DPI kits

6/1/2023

Ready to take Dot3D scanning to the next level? Today we are very glad to share the official release of Dot3D 5.1.2 for both Windows and iOS platforms. This landmark update brings some of our more recent core improvements to Windows for the first time, while also adding some other new capabilities and improvements to iOS for the first time. Please click here to update now and see below for more info on what exactly this update means for each platform.

Dot3D 5.1.2 for Windows:
Much larger scenes, super fast optimization, and so much more

Our all-new 5.0 engine has now officially made the jump to Windows. First launched on iOS last fall, this new update brings larger single scene sizes, ultra-fast optimization, new UI, core optimization improvements, new targeting capabilities (significant workflow & accuracy improvements), the more efficient DP format v2, new point cloud visualization options, support for the Intel RealSense D405, and more to Windows for the first time.

Download Dot3D 5.1.2

We look forward to seeing our Windows tablet-based scanning kits (DPI and Intel RealSense) reach new heights in terms of single scene sizes, local optimization speeds, attainable accuracies (via targeting), and more. Long gone are the days where these kits would be constrained to 1-2 rooms per scan. With this new update, users are not only free to capture much larger single scenes without size constraints, but also empowered to achieve even more accurate results via the fastest and most intuitive reference targeting capabilities to date. Please click here for a video tutorial on Dot3D 5.0+ for iOS (most concepts also apply to Windows) and stay tuned for a new Windows 5.1+ tutorial soon.

While some of these improvements are specific to scanning devices equipped with Dot3D Pro (i.e. scene size), many also apply to Dot3D Edit deployments on post-processing PCs (i.e. fast optimization, new point cloud visualization, etc.). So, we do recommend you update all your Windows Dot3D devices right away!

Download Dot3D 5.1.2 for Windows

DISCLAIMER: Some features of Dot3D 4.1.x are not available in Dot3D 5.1.x quite yet. These include design comparison, filtering, surface annotation, cylinder annotation, pipe measurement, area measurement, bounding dimensions, lat/long coordinates, align, traditional checkerboard targeting, and fill volume calculation, among other minor differences. If any of these features are particularly critical for your use case, you may want to stick with version 4.1.10 for now.

Dot3D 5.1.2 for iOS: Cropping, hiding, and more

And the improvements don't stop with Windows! Dot3D 5.1+ also brings a couple other major updates to iOS: Cropping and Hiding! You can now easily edit and clean up your iOS LiDAR scans right on device after capture via the new Cropping tool. While this tool has long been available on Windows (and Android), it is a welcome new addition to the iOS platform.

Now we couldn't just bring the feature back without also improving it! So we're glad to also introduce Hiding, a new variant on the Cropping tool that allows you to hide points from view without actually deleting them from the data itself. This allows for the addition of a much-requested "Reset" button, while also improving chain-of-custody procedures for public safety needs. Only show the data you need to show, without actually modifying the underlying scan structure itself.

Download Dot3D 5.1.2 for iOS

Please click here for a new video clip on the cropping / hiding capabilities currently available in Dot3D 5.1.2 on both Windows and iOS platforms.

Webinar: Reality Capture for Shipbuilding
Truths, Myths, and Facts with Dot3D & SSI

We're also glad to formally announce our next webinar, in partnership with our friends at SSI! This free session will be hosted by SSI on Thursday June 22 at 11am ET and will include live demonstrations and discussions with DotProduct's CEO Brian Ahern and SSI's Shipbuilding Solution Evangelist Greg Goulanian. This shipbuilding-focused session will review all of the latest features available in Dot3D v5.1.2, examine how they are best utilized in the shipbuilding world, and cover workflows for Dot3D data through the SSI (ShipConstructor, EnterprisePlatform and ShipbuildingPLM) ecosystems. Join us as we bust some misconceptions and demonstrate all that's possible with Dot3D.

Register Now for the Webinar on 6/22

Point3D at Next Week's TDIAI Educational Conference

We invite you to find Dot3D at the Texas Division of the International Association for Identification Annual Educational Conference in Austin, TX next week via our partners at point3D! Stop by the booth for live demos of Dot3D 5.1.2 and more.

Dot3D™ Tip of the Month:
Use the "Save As" button frequently! We recommend you also add markers to your file names depending on what you've done to the data. For example, you might add "-o" for optimized or "-oc" for optimized and coordinates set.

Dot3D News: Survey Control Tutorial, New DP Format in CloudCompare, New Registration Video, & More

6/1/2023

Survey Control Tutorial

CloudCompare DLL Update

Registration Tutorial

WREX

Catch up on the latest Dot3D updates in this month's newsetter. Read on to find out more about our new tutorial video on Survey Control Targeting in Dot3D 5.0+, the new DP import DLLs implemented in CloudCompare v2.13.alpha, our new video on Multi-Scan Registration via AprilTags in Dot3D 5.0+, and our presence at WREX 2023 next week via Collision Forensic Solutions.

Dot3D 5.0 Tutorial: Survey Control Targeting

It's never been easier to lock your Dot3D scans into survey control! This powerful procedure will not only geo-reference your data, but also improve accuracy within the scan (so long as you trust your control!). Learn how in this new step-by-step video on the full process in Dot3D 5.0 for iOS and Windows:

Dot3D Survey Targeting Tutorial

Access full tutorial video

New DP Format (v2 - even smaller, faster) Now Supported in CloudCompare version 2.13.alpha

Today we're glad to share that CloudCompare has officially become our first partner to implement the new DP import DLLs v5.0! "Compatibility mode" is no longer required when saving scans from Dot3D 5.0+ / Dot3D on iOS for import into CloudCompare version 2.13.alpha. You may now keep your scans in Dot3D 5.0's new native .DP v2 format (even smaller, faster) for direct import into CloudCompare. Please click here to download the latest alpha with this update included. Only question is...who's next!? Contact us for details.

CloudCompare DLL Update

Download CloudCompare 2.13.alpha

Dot3D 5.0 Tutorial:
Multi-Scan Registration with AprilTags

The DP to DP scan registration process is only getting easier and more accurate with Dot3D 5.0 (& up). Here's a quick new tutorial on the simple process of registering two scans via overlapping AprilTags in the new Dot3D 5.0:

Access full tutorial video

Dot3D at World Reconstruction Exposition

Find us at WREX 2023 via our partners at Collision Forensic Solutions!
Stop by the booth for live demos of the latest Dot3D for iOS & more.

Dot3D™ Tip of the Month:
Don't forget to snap HD photos while scanning! Whether you're looking to add legibility on small equipment tags, document damages, photograph evidence, or just generally add much more 2D resolution from important viewpoints, this powerful capablity has benefits in almost every application for Dot3D.

Dot3D 5.0.11 Now Available for IOS

3/13/2023

Our latest updates to Dot3D for iOS also launched this week with the release of Dot3D 5.0.11 on the App Store. This new release brings back parallel plane constraints, the return of green/yellow scan-time feedback as an option, new frame spacing options, various bugfixes, and major performance improvements relating to optimization, targeting, coordinate systems, memory consumption, high res photos and more. Please click here for a Dot3D update history.

Download the Latest Dot3D for iOS LiDAR

Dot3D 5.0 Engine Now Available for Windows via New 5.0.11 Windows Beta

3/10/2023

Dot3D 5.0.11 Windows beta NOW AVAILABLE: The time has come! Our new Dot3D 5.0 engine (that's been making waves on iOS!) is officially making the jump to Windows with today's release of Dot3D 5.0.11 beta for Windows:

Version 5.0.11 (beta)

This landmark (beta) update brings our new ultra large scene sizes, ultra fast optimization, overall accuracy improvements, all-new targeting capabilities (workflow & accuracy improvements), the DP v2 format, new scene rendering options, and much more to Windows for the first time. However, please be advised that not all features have made the jump to 5.0 quite yet. Please see the IMPORTANT BETA NOTES on the download page for more information.

Download Dot3D 5.0.11 Windows Beta

New Dot3D Sample Data Resources

3/9/2023

Want to see a preview of some real Dot3D scans from your industry? Compare the differences between each supported camera? Play with some real scan data inside Dot3D before activating your own subscription? Today we're glad to share that we're launching a new sample data collection to make all of the above easier than ever. Please click here to access this new dynamic collection of DP sample data, visualized on Sketchfab. With sorting based on use case, camera type, and direct comparison data, it's now very simple to access all the data you need anytime. Plus, you can now view in seconds right from your browser (with the important caveat below that all web-viewable data sets are very decimated). These collections will also be regularly updated as we (and you!) add to them.

NOTE: All samples shown on Sketchfab are HIGHLY DECIMATED (thinned out) for lightweight web viewing. To access the full density color point cloud data for each scan, please make sure to download the DP data directly from the links in the description of each scan on Sketchfab. These full density files may then be opened in Dot3D via a free trial license, and can be easily exported directly to E57, PTS, PTX, PLY, PTG, LAS, LAZ, RCS, and POD from there.

Access Dot3D Sample Data