Artificial intelligence makes reality capture more accessible, but humans are more essential than ever. This is why.
In today’s rapidly evolving technology landscape, reality capture is a transformative tool across various industries. Artificial intelligence in the hardware and software is making the technology more accessible, and the workflow much easier, than ever before.
As we delve into the role of AI in reality capture, we must also consider the role of human intelligence—and the best way to strike a balance between the two.
“Everyone wants an easy button,” says Chris Kercheval, a support specialist for Leica Geosystems and a founding member of the reality capture advocacy group The Committee. “But I’m afraid for what the industry could turn into in five or 10 years if all we focus on is AI and not the foundation of understanding what this equipment is doing.”
AI in Reality Capture: A Double-Edged Sword
AI has revolutionized reality capture by automating complex tasks and accelerating data processing. As Kercheval notes, there’s a growing demand for AI to make processes faster and easier. However, this technological advancement comes with its own set of challenges.
“How do we QA/QC the AI? How do we quantify that output to our customer if they say something went wrong?” cautions Kercheval.
“With AI, we don’t have a person to say, ‘Oh, yeah, I recognize between scan 100 and 200 that we had a little bit of an error, but it’s contained in just that spot.’ If everything’s automated, people are just going to look at the numbers, and the numbers can lie to you,” he says. “We need that visual approach of going into the TruSlice and looking at millimeter-thin slices for any misalignments or mismatches. Relying on AI for all of that is kind of scary to me because it’s unproven. And it seems to take the educated user out of the equation.”
The Human Element: Curiosity and Creativity
Despite AI’s capabilities, it’s the human imagination that has truly propelled reality capture forward. Kercheval emphasizes the importance of curiosity, recounting a compelling example in which he was part of team that used a laser scanner to transform a seemingly ambiguous wireframe into a detailed mesh, revealing a woman’s face.
“We had to change the context and ask, ‘What would happen if we turned this into a watertight mesh?’” Kercheval explains. “That let us see something completely different, and it was only through our curiosity that we got to that point.”
Nurturing Curiosity in Professional Practice
Kercheval advocates for integrating curiosity into the professional practice of reality capture. He suggests that instead of strictly adhering to templates, professionals should get creative with the technology. By experimenting with scanner placement and settings, Kercheval has achieved higher quality data with less noise. His approach encourages professionals to continually ask, “What happens if I do this?”—a mindset that can lead to innovative solutions and improvements in workflow.
Balancing AI and Human Insight
The key to maximizing the potential of reality capture lies in balancing AI capabilities with human insight. While AI can handle data-intensive tasks, humans are essential for quality assurance and creative problem-solving. Kercheval points out that understanding the client’s needs and the project’s objectives is crucial for effective reality capture. By maintaining a foundational understanding of the technology, professionals can ensure that AI complements rather than replaces human expertise.
“I’m excited about the application of reality capture and point clouds in industry,” Kercheval says. “What are people going to do with this technology that we’ve not thought of? And what kind of awesome, wow-factor deliverables are they going to be able to create? The curiosity factor is essential.”
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