Improvement of a 3D Modeling System for a Tech Company

About the Client

Mezmeriz is a cutting-edge technology company that produces the hardware and software for 3D scanning of physical spaces. Their advanced LiDAR equipment accurately maps space and motion and builds easily understandable 3D digital models. The company creates highly detailed digital twins of objects, enabling businesses to visualize and interact with physical environments in a digital format.

Goal

The client aimed to enhance their 3D mapping application to serve its users better:

• Existing third-party software struggled with uploading, viewing, and managing 3D models in multiple formats, including point clouds, polygon meshes, and photospheres;
• Establish a user interface and back-end pipeline to process raw LiDAR scans. Tasks include aligning and consolidating point clouds and generating mesh models from point data, optimizing the transformation of raw data into 3D models;
• Improve tracking of construction progress by implementing a robust annotation system. This system would allow users to create, describe, discuss, and prioritize issues linked to specific coordinates or objects within 3D environments;
• Develop a user-friendly interface for efficient management of annotations within 3D scenes. This interface should enable effortless creation, viewing, filtering, and editing of annotations. It should provide users with a unified view of statuses, categories, and responsibilities;
• Ensure models display uniformly with correct orientation and coordinates across platforms to maintain consistency in visualization and interpretation.

Work Description

Team:

Geomotiv provided two senior full-stack software developers, each with a wealth of experience in delivering tailored solutions for 3D mapping systems. Their expertise and dedication were instrumental in the successful transformation of the client’s 3D mapping system.

Project duration:

Our cooperation lasted for four years.

Scope of work:

After onboarding, our developers reviewed the project information, obtained the client’s list of requirements, and studied all preferences about the system’s features and capabilities. Then, they proceeded with project implementation and delivered the solutions for streamlining operations and enhancing the usability of the app’s functionality:

• Full-stack services covering front- and back-end features development, MongoDB database maintenance and update, and management of build and deploy processes on AWS;
• Redesign of the application for visualization and management of 3D models to meet project requirements;
• Automation of model uploads;
• Unification of distributed processes related to 3D models, point clouds, photospheres, and annotations in one user-friendly interface.

Solutions developed:

• Integrated platform.

We customized the Potree viewer and leveraged the Autodesk Forge platform to create a unified UI/UX. This approach enables simultaneous viewing and management of diverse 3D model formats. It contains an access-based permission system for each project.

• Automated conversion of model formats. 

Our developers implemented an automated format conversion system using AWS jobs and Docker containers. This solution facilitates the seamless uploading and display of various file types, ensuring compatibility and usability across different platforms.

• Back-end processing.

Our team developed back-end processes using containerized Python scripts. These scripts efficiently handle data processing tasks, including converting raw scans into actionable 3D models.

• Annotation system.

We designed and implemented a versatile annotation system compatible with multiple 3D models and viewers. This system includes advanced features like status tracking, discussion threads, and notifications.

• Enhanced user interface.

Our developers redesigned the app’s interface to deliver a more intuitive user experience. Incorporating the Elf library for front-end state management and Nest.js for back-end operations, the interface ensures robust performance and seamless integration with existing systems.

Work Stages

1. Requirements gathering
2. Architecture design
3. Development cycles
4. Release

Results

Thanks to the dedicated efforts of our developers, the client’s system underwent significant improvements. The upgraded version integrates more efficient methods for analyzing diverse 3D models and data formats. It handles multiple projects and supports different user roles thanks to a comprehensive permission system of user rights. These and other updates have not only empowered the company to improve its product offerings and quality of services but also inspired new possibilities in the field of 3D mapping technology.