Niantic is introducing a new version of its Scanniverse app that enables users to capture objects with more detail. Scanniverse 4 introduces a Gaussian Splitting technique, allowing users to capture places and objects in 3D with enhanced data points for accurate representation and faster rendering.
Acquired by the company in 2021, Scanniverse receives a significant update with this release. Previously, users could scan and store objects and places on their devices or share them with friends. With the new scanning methods, users can now place object scans, known as splats, on a map, enabling others to explore locations with enhanced accuracy and details.
Over the years, Niantic has endeavored to build a comprehensive 3D map of the world by leveraging player scans from games like Wayfarer, Ingress, and Pokémon GO. These scans have been utilized to create splats worldwide.
The new scanning process, initially available only on iOS, is straightforward. Users can select the splats option from the new capture menu, move around the object while capturing it from various angles, and then place the splat on the map, share the model, or share the video with others. Niantic suggests that scanning for one to three minutes produces high-quality results.
Niantic ensures privacy by automatically blurring faces and license plates in the scans. Additionally, any moving objects captured during the scan are averaged out of the final render.
Brian McClendon, Niantic’s VP of Engineering and co-inventor of Google Earth, highlighted the benefits of the new Gaussian Splatting technique over triangle meshes, offering faster processing and superior realism in render quality with improved lighting and reflections.
With a focus on enriching developer data, Niantic’s VPS system and the new scanning technique aim to provide a robust visual map for XR content creators and 3D photography enthusiasts.
Niantic already boasts hundreds of thousands of Gaussian Splats-powered scans and plans to scale up to millions soon, making them available for developers to enhance gameplay and virtual reality experiences.
Furthermore, Niantic plans to integrate this data into its games, allowing virtual characters to interact more effectively with real-world objects.
