How VR is reshaping the way we manage remote assets
The Insight
The evaluation and management of remote assets can be challenging. Accessing remote sites can be costly and time-consuming for the client, invasive and often inconvenient for the resident, and risky for both the assessor and the remote community.
Whilst they may have worked up until now, traditional site visits have their downfalls. As multiple assessors are often required to cover varying assets, the level of organisation, time and cost is heightened. The foundation of traditional site visits can lead to missed assets which require revisits and then further organisation, time and cost.
The risk of remote site visits can also be hard to justify – especially in 2020. With the unknown factors in remote locations and behind closed doors, site visits can be dangerous for assessors. For those living in remote areas with immune systems that produce different antibodies to assessors, the risk associated with allowing multiple sets of visitors is high.
With the use of 3D scanning technology, the way we manage remote assets can be improved. Virtual walkthroughs can change the way we access site.
The Impact
3D scanning technology captures assets and floorplans using photography and point cloud information. These 3D scanners take multiple photos of an area and fuse them into a 3D model to create a real-world, multi-dimensional image. This is an image that you can rotate, zoom, and ‘walkthrough’.
Conducting the 3D scan requires the mobilisation of fewer resources with less time spent at each asset. An evaluation of each asset can then be completed by as many or as few assessors as required, without any one of them having to leave their office.
However, with pros there are always cons. Three things to keep in mind:
3D scans do not have x-ray vision – if an asset is hidden, it won’t be recorded.
Inconsistent ambient light can halt timelines – this is true for all modes of photography.
Learning to navigate new software takes time.
Perhaps the benefit is obvious, but why not just use good, old-fashioned photography?
The simple answer is accuracy.
Standard means of photography can cause several problems. Scale may be misinterpreted, images may not have context, and assets may be missed altogether. 3D scanning removes doubt.