Imaging and software startup Planitar announced Tuesday that it is launching a new tool that can scan a physical space that has suffered damage and needs repairs or restoration.
The new tool is called the iGUIDE Radix, and in a statement, Planitar said it can be used to capture the condition of a property that needs restoration, or for which someone might need to make an insurance claim.
The tool specifically works by capturing 360-degree images and lidar (light detection and ranging) measurements, the statement notes. It then allows those scans to be converted into either a 3D scan or computer-aided design (CAD) files, that generates floor plans.
Users create the scans using Planitar’s proprietary iGUIDE camera system, which images and maps properties. Earlier this year, Planitar debuted a new camera for the system that promised 3D home scans in 15 minutes.
Michael Vervena
In Tuesday’s statement, Michael Vervena — a vice president at Planitar — described the new iGUIDE Radix as “specifically for insurance and restoration.”
“Within minutes, you can document a property loss, upload the data from your phone, and share the images and measurements instantly with your estimator,” Vervena added.
The company is making the iGUIDE Radix available to order in a beta version beginning Aug. 10.
Planitar was founded in 2013 and is based in Ontario, Canada. The company offers both software and hardware and over the years has gradually expanded its product line, including to things such as virtual reality.
In its statement Tuesday, the company ultimately argued iGUIDE Radix will allow users to skip a variety of tasks such as visiting properties multiple times and taking detailed measurements. And Vervena ultimately described the new technology as something that could “reshape an industry.”
“This is faster and easier than sketching by hand or using other technologies,” Vervena concluded, “especially when it comes to the majority of losses that are just several rooms — you speed up the process, reduce travel time, and increase efficiency.”