Fast mapping of buildings: a preview

The BIM4EEB Fast Mapping Toolkit incorporates a range of new tools developed to speed-up the scan-to-BIM process and to improve the data visualisation of an existing building by using Augmented Reality (AR).

When a renovation process needs a lot of time and measurement work, there are incentives for a digital fast mapping process and a digital BIM model instead of old manually methods. By developing a process with digital tools for fast mapping of buildings it is possible to detect hidden installations behind the walls or under the floor. Combining the mapping tools with 3D-laser scanning that measure the geometry, the collected data can be stored and translated by a BIM-platform into a 3D-model and visualized for the user. The time for the whole mapping process will be reduced and the quality, when it comes to the accuracy of the data, will be high. The aim of the digital renovation process in this part of the project is to get knowledge about the building and create a useful model for a more efficient and safe renovation process.

The report concludes that fast mapping of buildings and apartments is made possible using a combination of market available laser scanning techniques in combination with a HoloLens device. Added to these systems is a prototype sensor array consisting of heat sensor, stud detectors and more. These sensors combine input data into a point cloud and together produce a qualified estimation of what is inside the wall. These data, when combined in an overlay view in the HoloLens can visualize a clear picture of the contents of a wall. This point cloud is then over laid on the scanning data acquired from the laser scanner and thus combines the strength of both technologies to see the room as it is but also the inside of walls. The activities have also explored the connection between BIM data and the virtual reality software application. To view the heavy pointcloud in an AR headset it must be optimized and streamed rather than imported to the headset itself. Tests were conducted that proved that streaming of points is viable and that the concept is approachable to more research efforts, investigation and tests.