Mobile 3D mapping systems like Nexys have provided surveying teams with a modular and flexible option to reduce costs while improving safety and efficiency. Photospheres, which are a unique type of image, are further expanding the use cases for 3D mobile mapping and best of all, the technology is already present in our Nexys.
Below, we’ll explain what photospheres are, how they're captured with Nexys, and how to integrate them with the CAD or BIM software you’re already using.
A photosphere is a full, 360-degree image capturing all angles from a specific viewpoint. Sometimes, photospheres are confused with panoramic images because the terms are often used interchangeably in various marketing materials. However, a panoramic image only captures imagery on a horizontal plane. What this means is that when viewing a panoramic image, you can look right or left and see more of the image, but you can’t look in any other direction since it’s locked to the horizontal axis.
Photospheres give you a full 360-degree panoramic view of any area, so you can fully explore the environment within the photosphere image with no limitations.
With Nexys, photospheres are captured every time the platform performs a scan as long as the covers have been removed from the camera sensors (see photo below). These two lenses on the Nexys that are placed opposite of each other, then the image is stitched together for a full 360-degree view of the area.
Photospheres are captured automatically as the platform digitally maps the surroundings using our LiDAR-based SLAM vision system. The surveyor or user doesn’t need to do anything else, and the process of capturing these images is fully automated without adding any additional workload to the surveying team.
As Nexys performs its digital mapping, it automatically stamps each photosphere with an exact coordinate in relation to it's position and orientation in 3D space. 
The result is that when viewing a 3D map or survey, you can click on specific nodes and immediately see the photosphere for that exact location. This allows you to virtually look around from that vantage point and perform a visual inspection within the 3D map created by Nexys. These virtual inspections can drastically improve efficiency in construction, engineering, and many other fields by reducing the costs and labor involved. They also open up entirely new use cases that were previously not possible with traditional surveying or manual inspections.
Finally, and often most importantly, there’s safety. Photospheres allow for safe visual inspections without putting surveying or other team members in potentially hazardous environments. Our Nexys can operate fully autonomously in hazardous areas while capturing the crucial visual and 3D data your team needs.
So far, we’ve explained how photospheres are captured and why they’re so useful. But you may be wondering how to actually view these images once captured. In many cases, the software you’re using already fully supports photospheres.
For example, Autodesk ReCap can ingest photospheres from Nexys data and display them or use them for modeling purposes within the software. ReCap is part of the Autodesk suite of products and is common in CAD and BIM workflows around the world.
Another industry standard platform that can display photospheres is Trimble RealityWorks or Trimble SiteVision. All Nexys 3D mapping data, including photospheres, is fully compatible with the entire Trimble platform for easy sharing and collaboration. Whichever platform you're using, photospheres appear as a clickable node within the 3D data.
Explainer video on how to import Nexys data into Trimble Business Center
Photospheres are expanding the use cases for 3D digital mapping and providing significant cost savings, safety improvements, and efficiency gains in industries around the world.
Below are a few of the current use cases for photospheres in use today.
Mobile digital mapping is invaluable during the planning phase of construction, but it’s just as important once the construction begins. Photospheres allow for more frequent visual inspections when combined with regular mobile scans, whether done manually or autonomously.
These visual inspections provide increased safety and ensure the project stays on schedule and budget. Problems can be detected much earlier, avoiding costly delays or rework. Because of the visual nature of photospheres, information on progress can be easily shared with a variety of stakeholders who may not have the technical knowledge to understand other aspects of 3D data capture.
Besides construction, these visual inspections are also crucial for mining, oil & gas operations, and BIM applications.
Photospheres are also becoming increasingly popular for asset tracking across many different industries.
Some of these include:
Urban infrastructureIn each of these use cases, photospheres greatly complement existing asset tracking capabilities by providing visual confirmation that improves accuracy and efficiency.
Photospheres can complement drone inspections after an emergency or natural disaster. For example, if a building sustains major damage after a storm, mobile mapping can be used to monitor any structural changes that could make the area unsafe.
Photospheres provide additional visual inspection opportunities without placing surveyors or first responders in hazardous environments or situations.
With Nexys, you can have centimeter-accurate digital twin model while also capturing high-resolution photospheres for crucial visual inspections.
Book your free custom demo to see Nexys in action and learn more about how photospheres can increase the safety, accuracy, and efficiency of your surveying workflow.
