Your iPhone Pro has a lidar: you can do 7 cool things with it.

Some high-end iPhone and iPad models integrate a lidar scanner in the camera module on the back of the device. This effectively pro

Your iPhone Pro has a lidar: you can do 7 cool things with it.

Some high-end iPhone and iPad models integrate a lidar scanner in the camera module on the back of the device. This effectively provides your device with 3D scanning functions of some unique and interesting applications.

LiDAR stands for light detection and ranging, but it is also commonly called "3D laser scanning" or some variants of it. This technology determines the shape and distance of objects in this area by reflecting light waves on the surface and measuring the reaction time.

You can think of it as a radar, but it is aimed at light waves. Unlike radar imaging, lidar can provide more detailed and clear scanning with smaller equipment. The signal used by lidar works in the nanometer range, and radar needs an antenna to generate radio waves with much lower frequency.

Combined with the software on iPhone, lidar scanners can be used to create 3D representations of objects and their surroundings. To do this, you need the corresponding software, which can be downloaded from the App Store. Some core functions of iPhone, such as camera application, will use lidar in other aspects.

At present, only iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro, iPad Pro1inch (2nd and 3rd generation) and iPad Pro 12.9 inch (4th and 5th generation) are equipped with lidar scanners. If you look at the camera array on the device, the lidar scanner looks like a small black circle.

Imagine if you had a childhood home, or an interactive 3D model of a tree house you built when you were young. Most of us will keep photos to remind us of the places we once lived and loved, but what if we could take 3D scans instead of flat images?

Well, if you have a lidar scanner on the back of your iPhone or iPad, you can totally do it. 3D space navigation is more immersive than simply watching 2D images. Photos and videos still have a place, but why not expand your memory base with something you can experience in three dimensions?

This can be achieved through applications such as Polycam, RoomScan LiDAR and Canvas: Pocket 3D room scanner. Most of these applications are free to use, although there are also paid upgrades, which can remove some restrictions and improve the scanning quality. You can see the actual effect of lidar scanning in the YouTube video released by Polycam.

Capturing a 3D model of a room or building has some very practical uses. If you are currently looking for renting or buying a house, scanning the building can help you decide whether the location is right for you. This process is very similar to shooting a video or a series of photos, both of which are common practices in the real estate industry.

3D scanning is not only more immersive, but also easier to compare the size, layout, practical space and the potential of renovation and other major work. In addition to scanning, we recommend that you take detailed photos and videos, which are most suitable for applications such as Polycam and RoomScan LiDAR.

If you plan to do the main work in the house you already own, 3D scanning can provide you with the basis for working in 3D modeling applications such as Blender (if you like working in such applications). Or, it can provide a good "before and after" comparison to review.

Finally, it is becoming more and more popular to sell houses without real estate agents. These applications allow you to provide 3D environmental scanning to potential buyers, while reducing expensive agency fees.

Photogrammetry is the act of creating 3D objects from photographic data, which is a time-consuming process. Although the assets provided by photogrammetry are usually very accurate and detailed, the project production process from a series of photos to a finished model that you can use may take hundreds of hours.

In contrast, scanning with an application such as Polycam on an iPhone or iPad may take several minutes. Scanning an object is a bit like shooting a video. When finished, you can export the file, which can be used in 3D modeling applications such as Blender. After scanning, you can import objects into 3D engines such as Unity and Unreal.

These engines are widely used in game development, movies and interactive media. Conor O'Kane, a game developer with YouTube channel, not only used this technology, but also created a tutorial to show how to do it and why small developers might be interested in this process.

Are you a collector? No matter what you collect-artworks, plants, game machines, even cars-you can display it in 3D format on the Internet. Polycam is very suitable for this, because it contains a built-in model shared with other members of the Polycam community, or what the application calls "polyworld".

Some people share ice cream or crystals, while others share their various sports shoes. Even if you don't have a lidar scanner on your iPhone or iPad, Polycam is still worth downloading just to see what people are scanning and sharing.

It is similar to Instagram, but it is used for 3D models with interactive elements that other forms of media cannot access. It is also easy, even if you are a little confused when scanning the application, it has an intuitive cropping control that allows you to delete background or surface objects.

Your iPhone and iPad have already done this, so you don't have to activate anything to get the benefits. However, if you delay taking photos in the dark because you don't trust the autofocus of the device, you may need to reconsider whether you have a device equipped with lidar.

Because lidar can judge the distance according to the time required for the light wave to return to the sensor, it can better calculate the autofocus in the dark.

Although standard cameras and models without lidar use contrast and phase detection autofocus (Apple calls it "focus pixel"), it will encounter difficulties in low light conditions, but models with lidar perform much better. Coupled with the night mode, it should be better to take pictures in the dark.

You may not realize this, but Apple includes an app called Measure with iOS by default. If the previous discount is deleted, you can download Measure again for free from the App Store.

The application uses augmented reality technology to measure the distance in the real world, just point the phone at a surface. Click the plus sign "+"icon to start measurement, and move your device to see its operation.

With the help of lidar scanner, augmented reality has been greatly improved on iPhone and iPad. Measurement has changed from an interesting party technique to amazing accuracy. In our test, the application is correct most of the time, and the error range is about 1 cm. This may depend more on the degree of your hand trembling.

Measure is such an AR application that performs better when paired with an iPhone or iPad equipped with lidar. All other AR applications can benefit from sensors, which measure distances by using light instead of estimates derived from "flat" images, thus providing a more stable experience.

Lidar really helps to improve the AR experience in an all-round way, for example, when you create works of art in applications such as World Brush, SketchAR and Assemblr. Do real-world problems need remote assistance? Vuforia Chalk allows you to doodle on real-world objects to help convey the main points.

Use IKEA Place to try all kinds of IKEA furniture at home, or use Lego hidden faces to make your children's Lego suits come to life, as shown in the YouTube video released by Brick Brothers above. If you want a more educational AR experience, Playground AR provides a complete physical sandbox for you to play with.

Of course, these experiences can be used on almost any latest iPhone, but the experience of using a lidar scanner is much more stable. Find more apps in the best AR apps for iPhone and Android in Review Geek.