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Digitizing in 3 Dimensions

Creating 3D models of objects

Processing Photos with Polycam

Polycam is an app that can be downloaded on almost any smartphone or tablet device with an attached camera. While parts of the app require a paid subscription, some features (such as LiDAR scanning) are free. It has a very robust support base and user community, and new features are constantly being developed and tested.

Polycam Website

Polycam can be considered to be more user friendly than Meshroom, and is perfect for those who do not own dedicated cameras but do have a smartphone. The processing of images is done by the Polycam servers, and some simple editing options do exist within the app. LiDAR scans are processed within the user's device itself, hence the free option. While Polycam can be very intuitive for those that regularly use the camera on their smartphone, please be aware of the following:

  • Polycam has several digitization modes, check if your are in 'object', 'space', 'LiDAR', or '360' mode first
  • if you are using a mode other than 'LiDAR', a wifi connection will be needed to upload the captured data for processing
  • before starting, check your device's battery level

Though not open source, Polycam does have options for educational institutions and students, and can be utilized by a device you may already own.