Investigating The Capability Of The Smartphones Time-Of-Flight Sensor To data-capturing Interior Spaces Of Building

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Mohammad Amooshahi
• Asghar Milan
• Saeid Sadeghian
• Alireza Gharagozlou

Faculty of Civil, Water and Environment Engineering Faculty, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22067/jfcei.2024.88986.1315

Abstract

Considering the significant increase in the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and its prominent role in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industries, achieving an accurate as-built model is of critical importance. However, current tools for acquiring 3D data and reconstructing as-built building conditions face challenges such as limitations in accuracy and high costs. Since the introduction of the LiDAR sensor in iPhones in 2020, extensive research has been conducted to evaluate the capabilities of this sensor across various fields, especially in surveying. This study compares 3D scan data from the iPhone in two modes— with and without the use of a gimbal— with data obtained from photogrammetry and a total station. The results show that using a gimbal eliminates the errors from multiple scans and enhances geometric accuracy. In the cloud-to-cloud (C2C) analysis without a gimbal, errors exceeding 35 cm were observed, while with the gimbal, these errors were minimized, with most discrepancies being below 0.10 cm. Although some errors ranging from 10 to 20 cm were present, the root mean square error (RMSE) for smartphone-derived vector data ranged between 15 to 20 cm. In comparison, the RMSE for the total station and photogrammetry was measured at 2 mm and 1.5 cm, respectively. While the accuracy of this data is lower, it is suitable for medium-accuracy indoor building surveys, though it is less reliable for engineering projects requiring very high precision.

Keywords

• Smartphone
• 3D scanner
• photogrammetry
• building information model
• 3D cadastre

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