3D point clouds

A collection of data points in a three-dimensional coordinate system ($X,Y,Z$) representing the external surface of an object or environment.

Acquisition Technologies

• lidar (Light Detection and Ranging): Emits laser beams to measure distance and generate 3D point clouds.
• Mobile-based Scanning:
  • Utilizes ARKit on iPhone Pro hardware to capture spatial data.
  • Workflow involves converting captured data into formats compatible with 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) training software.

Related Concepts

• 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS)
• ARKit
• Spatial Computing
• Photogrammetry

References

• 2026 04 14 Lidar scanning via iphone

Source Notes

• 2026-04-23: Anthropic’s [[concepts/compute|Compute Miscalculation: Claude Demand and Strategic Impact]]
• 2026-04-14: How to get TACK SHARP photos with any camera!