The future of LiDAR Technology

Laser scanning is on a path to become more powerful, more useful, and more affordable — impacting a vast array of industries.

Primarily used by surveyors, laser scanners and laser scan datasets have become increasingly vital to a growing number of industries — specifically construction.

What is it?

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is the dominant technology and technique behind most laser scanning. Historically, LiDAR scanners have been static devices, requiring set up. But mobile scanning using this same technology is growing in accessibility and effectiveness. In fact, it’s poised to entirely change how we approach scanning.

LiDAR on mobile devices

While augmented reality and virtual reality can be considered as an output of scanning technology, developments in this area will also drive its future. Reviewing scan data with AR/VR will become more common — particularly for client stakeholders. And you can see the merger of this kind of technology in a number of different places, even the consumer market.

For example, Apple has already released an iPhone with a built-in LiDAR scanner. With a laser-aided, 3D depth mapping system, future iPhones will be able to scan entire rooms, and more accurately represent the position of computer-generated objects in the real world. This can and will be combined with gaming, home decorations and more. As consumer products drive technological advancements, this will only improve the integrations available to professionals. The iPhone LiDAR scanner is a pointer to the future.

Research indicates that training and education were favoured to be the first areas to benefit from AR/VR applications in construction. If you are involved in this area, it may be worth looking at how laser scanning output could be incorporated in training and safety work.

Do you want to create your own LiDAR scanner app? Get in touch!