A Guide to 3D Laser Scanners

A 3D laser scanner is a LiDAR-equipped tool that emits a rapid stream of light pulses to capture positional data of objects in space. The data is then converted into a series of points — a point cloud — that creates a virtual model of the object or space for further processing and use.

Two popular handheld 3D scanners from XGRIDS are the Lixel K2 and the Lixel L2 Pro.

3D laser scanners leverage LiDAR technology to send out hundreds of thousands of light pulses per second, capturing positional data when those pulses bounce back. Each data point contains XYZ coordinates, which are processed into a 3D point cloud — a virtual model of the space or object being scanned.

A point cloud is created by aggregating the millions of data points collected by a 3D laser scanner and plotting them in a virtual environment. It can be used to generate a "digital twin," visualize new possibilities in a space, or calculate sizes and dimensions with precision.

Note that while point clouds capture some RGB color data, it's not their primary function. If photorealistic models are your priority over geometry, a Gaussian splat may be worth considering.