Laser scanning and flying drones can gather lots of data, but what can be done with it? Scanning for existing conditions is easy, but what about site monitoring, steel monitoring, concrete analysis, or installation comparison? Reality capture is often the fastest way to collect the information for these types of activities, but they have to be properly planned for, and strategies need to be in place so that time isn't wasted collecting data that won't be used. This session will focus on planning reality capture activities for success, and developing strategies for making sure the data can be turned into deliverables as quickly as possible.

Learn how the implementation of reality capture provides immediate and substantial return on investment for owners, architects, and contractors. We will use recent multiple case studies to demonstrate the value of implementing reality capture through the use of laser scanning, ReCap software, and Revit software. Our case studies will look at preconstruction, construction, and post-construction documentation. We will show the power of this vastly underused application, and you will learn how it will enhance your business and bring you real value.

This course will cover what goes into a successful reality capture guideline and how it looks in practice. We’ll cover the software and hardware used to develop and maintain a successful reality capture program. We’ll also cover the client and trade partner expectations that come into consideration when beginning a reality capture workflow. The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry is moving toward scanning as a standard, but we’ll discuss how to justify the high cost of reality capture in a way that’s easy for all levels to understand. We’ll provide our real-world workflow as it is exists on a $500 million project, what we’ve learned, and where we’ve succeeded.

Design or engineering never sits on its own—it is always part of the real world. With that in mind, the democratization of reality capture has the potential to change the way we design and engineer buildings and structures because it enables us to start our design process with something that already exists in the real world. In this class, our panel elaborates on this concept and discusses how advances in reality capture can be an agent of change in the Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflow in architecture, engineering, and construction.

Creating photorealistic digital assets is key to increasing the realism of today's games and movies today. Could it also be important for decors, natural scenes, samples, faces, bodies, or props? There is a fast-growing demand to bring the as-built or as-existing reality into the production pipeline. Some advanced production houses have embraced reality capture technologies, and they already use photos, videos, or lasers to capture reality. The Autodesk Reality Capture Group has developed tools that make these technologies easier to use. Come and discuss your needs for reality capture, and see how you can benefit by using these new tools to create your own digital assets for use in your own production environment.

Retrofitting is a key component in the lifecycle of every factory and plant. In this class, we will explore the latest Reality Capture technologies and how they apply to retrofitting plant and factory facilities. Different tools and technologies will be reviewed that are key to dealing with Reality Capture data that help in successful retrofitting. A view into the future will also be given on how Reality Capture is expected to change the workflows of the user of the Autodesk portfolio products.

In this class, Ronald Poelman, one of the world’s experts on reality capture technologies, will discuss a wide variety of capturing devices that exist today and some ongoing exciting future research. You will be introduced to all current methods to capture reality, learn about the advantages and disadvantages of each method, and get experts tips for using the devices and post-processing the data. The class will use a variety of examples to demonstrate where specific techniques are used and why.

In this class, we will be introducing reality capture standards developed by the US Institute of Building Documentation, related to the execution and delivery of reality capture data throughout the construction process. Technologies will include 3D laser scanning, 360 photography, videography, drones, and more. We will review request for proposals, requests for qualifications, and contract documents for ensuring that the owner, general contractor, and/or service provider are on the same page when performing reality capture. We will review how to use the level of accuracy (LOA) specification for standardized Revit modeling of “ideal” models against “realistic” physical point clouds. We will also review the imagery specification to ensure that 360 photography, videography, and construction photographs captured from cameras or drones are interoperable with other systems. Finally, we will share our analysis of the current and future reality capture tech landscape.

Reality capture has become the new normal for the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry in delivering and executing projects. But as is the case with any new method, the first few years are always the Wild Wild West—with minimal standards, compliance checks, and quality procedures in place. This roundtable will give participants the ability to have detailed discussions with industry experts who’ve been in the trenches on hundreds of reality-capture jobs, including static LiDAR (light detection and ranging), drones, and photogrammetry. This roundtable will focus discussions on methods for determining whether to procure services or move them in house, staffing requirements for project execution, and critical elements to better ensure successful usage of reality-capture data. This session features ReCap 360 and Navisworks Manage.

Technological advancements in hardware and software tools have made reality capture more prominent in many industry workflows. Designers, engineers, and artists are continuously exposed to news about new laser scanning or photo-based acquisition workflows and success stories. However, they aren't sure when to apply each of these methods or don't understand their advantages or limitations. In this class, we will use a variety of successfully captured objects from different corners of the world to reveal the base principles, strengths, limitations, and best practices for using each of the reality capture methods and devices. We will also offer insider tips to help you understand which method is most applicable for your workflows.

Today with reality capture technology it’s very fast and easy to collect large amounts of data with reality capture technology—but what can a point cloud be used for? The obvious answer is as-built verification of existing spaces. But is there something more that you can use it for? This class will focus on strategies using already existing tools within the Autodesk, Inc., product line that go beyond just as-builts. We will discuss examples of lessons learned and successes from integrating reality capture workflows when assisting new construction and renovations projects. From scanning to installation and beyond to facilities management, there is almost always something that you can make from a point cloud.

The reality capture group at Autodesk is working on ways to acquire, manipulate, or analyze real scene data using laser scans or photos through ReCap™ products. While several AU classes demonstrate ReCap use and workflows associated with these products, this class focuses on how to programmatically access the reality capture web API to create or extend an application. We start with a quick overview of basic photogrammetry concepts and image parameters. Then we approach the reality capture REST API and discuss how to define a photo scene from multiple photos and create a dense 3D mesh. We cover some of the advanced features that are available to customize and refine the process. Finally we conclude the class with a complete example written in PHP.

Get ready to witness the power of innovative data acquisition and reality capture as we take you through one of the largest transportation infrastructure megaprojects in North America: the Metrolinx Ontario Line. With 450 survey requests to date, our aerial, mobile, and terrestrial LiDAR captures amassed 15+ TB, posing unique challenges and opportunities in managing the high expectations for accuracy and usability of the data during design within 800+ intelligent models. This session will take you through survey-grade reality capture, integrating LiDAR/point clouds using ReCap software, and hosting in BIM 360 Docs as the project's common data environment (CDE). The result is a highly accurate, detailed, and accessible representation of the existing conditions from which 1,000+ team members are drawing intelligence in Civil 3D, InfraWorks, Revit, and Navisworks software. Don't miss out on the opportunity to learn from HDR and Tulloch on best practices and lessons learned in this groundbreaking project.

DPR Construction has been using reality capture technology to help build an atypical and complicated office building in downtown Pasadena, California. In this class, the audiences will learn how DPR implements data from UAV and laser scanning, not only for typical deliverables, such as floor flatness/levelness analysis, but also for unique applications, such as shoring-wall deviation analysis, design-change feasibility study, and location of cores and drills for constructability review. With post-tension cables, hundreds of miles of conduits inside the concrete decks, and a fast-paced schedule, the project presents numerous challenges to overcome. However, by utilizing reality capture data in ReCap Pro software and AutoCAD software, the virtual design and construction (VDC) team has brought great value to the design and construction team, had positive impacts on overall project performance, and provided a big return on investment to the owner. The class will cover these use cases and lessons, and highlight tips and tricks for working with reality capture data.

This class will demonstrate various reality capture strategies and use cases in different architecture, engineering, and construction project phases. We'll focus both on strategies that can be implemented in-house as well as options for integrating outsourced deliverables into in-house workflows. We have integrated point clouds from laser scans and unmanned autonomous systems (UAS) photogrammetry, and we'll show our workflows and results. We'll talk about the setup process for attaining accurate shared coordinates for automated GPS placement within Revit software. We'll also demonstrate how we created and implemented affordable UAS photogrammetric scans into our Revit workflows, and how they compare to laser scan point clouds. This class will showcase several case study projects in which we used laser and photogrammetric scans for various needs, ranging from developing design concepts for small residential additions to new large-scale health care projects and multimillion-dollar departmental relocations inside existing facilities.

New reality capture and reverse engineering techniques enable us to create precise and parametric 3D digital models of physical objects. In this class, you will learn the benefits of combining reality capture and reverse engineering technologies for the purpose of successfully digitizing existing parts and objects. This killer combination can be used in many stages of design and refactoring of parts, molds, and other artifacts. We will demonstrate the intriguing steps of transforming the data from a point cloud to a smart 3D parametric model that can be then further analyzed, used for simulation, or repurposed. You will learn about the types of data that are generally used and why and how the transforms impact the product.

This class will consist of three 30min presentations from BIM 360 Integration Partners. 3DR: Tying it all together: Using BIM360 to bring cutting-edge tech into existing workflows Holobuilder: Evolution of Reality Capture: Where we are and where we are going. No matter where you are on the spectrum, it time to jump on the wagon! Smartvid.io : Reducing safety risk at Suffolk, Skanska, Clayco with Autodesk’s BIM 360 and artificial intelligence

Andrew Cameron, project manager with Hensel Phelps, will share his insights from pioneering 360-degree reality capture on his project, the $1.2 billion Harvey Milk Terminal 1 at the San Francisco International Airport, since 2016. He and his team of 16 field engineers have worked closely with HoloBuilder over the last three years to invent and build out many of the workflows and features that are essential on tens of thousands of construction sites around the world today, including 360-degree markups and the JobWalk app itself. He will discuss how to use 360-degree documentation to drive value on a billion-dollar project for the client, stakeholders, and his project team. He will also share his experiences of how to successfully partner with construction technology providers to build the technologies you always wanted. To highlight the team’s successful innovation partnership, he will reveal the latest co-developed solutions to speed up and even automate reality capture on projects.

This class will discuss the different roles of survey and reality capture in the infrastructure lifecycle. Using Topcon Magnet, ReCap software, Civil 3D software, and InfraWorks software, we will integrate survey data into the predesign, design, construction, and as-built processes. By capitalizing on modern survey technology, we will discuss the benefits of rapidly deployed 1-person survey crews and how they can quickly and accurately gather data and share it in real time using cloud-enabled workflows. Using photogrammetry (UAV and land based), LIDAR, laser scans, and ground-penetrating radar, we can streamline 3D modeling using point clouds to increase efficiency and quality of survey data. We will outline how to automate survey workflows to generate surfaces, linework, and features using reality capture. Finally, we will identify the benefits of streamlining survey workflows and integrating them into every stage of the infrastructure lifecycle.