Best Scanning Practices

To ensure you receive an accurate schematic floor plan, it is crucial to provide high-quality scan data. Because Roomio utilises the LiDAR capabilities of your iPhone Pro, how you move and hold the device directly impacts the final result.

Follow this guide to capture the perfect scan or watch our video below.

1. Preparation: Before You Start

Set up your environment to ensure a smooth, uninterrupted scanning session.

• One Session, All Areas: Plan to scan the entire property (all floors, garages, and and outdoor areas) in a single scanning session.

• Open All Doors: Walk through and prop open all doors before you begin.

• Maximise Lighting: Ensure all rooms and areas are well lit. LiDAR works best in well lit environments, especially in corners or hallways.

• Plan Your Route: Start from the lowest floor and work your way up. (Note: You can return downstairs if necessary, but starting at the bottom is best).

2. The Scanning Technique

The way you move with your iPhone Pro and the route you take are the most important factors in scan quality.

Property Route/Path

• Start and Finish the scan at the Front Door: The system woks best when the user starts and finishes the scan from the same position/area inside the property. We call this 'looping'. For best results, do this in individual rooms/areas as well. Start scanning a room from one position, scan comprehensively, and then return to the same position you started scanning at before moving onto the next room/area.
  
  

Posture & Position

• Phone Height: Hold your phone around chest level.

• Orientation: Keep the phone in Portrait mode. Do not rotate it to Landscape.

• Aiming: Point the camera forward in the direction you are walking.

• Coverage: Gently tilt the phone to capture the floor, walls, and ceilings. This geometry helps the sensors understand the room volume.

Movement Speed

• Walk Slowly: Move significantly slower than your normal walking pace.

• Smooth Motion: Avoid jerky movements or shaking the device.

• No Spinning: Avoid standing in one spot and spinning 360°. The system prefers forward movement.

3. Navigating Specific Areas

Small Rooms (Bathrooms, Closets)

• Enter and Exit: Walk into the room slowly to capture the interior.

• The "Back Out" Method: Instead of turning around inside a tight space, back out of the room the same way you came in. This prevents the camera from losing track of its location.

Large Open Spaces (Living Rooms, Halls)

• Close the Loop: When scanning a large room, walk a path that eventually brings you back near your starting point in that room.

• Why? This "loop closure" helps the software correct any "drift" and confirms accurate measurements.

Repetitive Spaces (Long Hallways)

• Slow Down: In areas that look identical (long white hallways), move extra slowly.

• Focus on Detail: Try to point the camera at distinctive elements like doorframes, artwork, or furniture to help the system distinguish where it is.

PRO-TIP: Connecting Large Areas If you are scanning distinct areas (like two different floors connected by a plain stairwell), you can create a "visual anchor."

Place a distinctive object, such as a painting or a printed QR code, at the transition point. This unique visual feature helps the algorithm create a robust connection between the two spaces.

4. What to Avoid

To prevent processing errors or failed scans, please avoid the following:

• Scanning too long: Try to keep scan sessions under 20 minutes.

• Empty Outdoors: Do not scan large, empty backyards. Our team can draw the exterior based on the perimeter data; scanning empty grass adds unnecessary data.

• Darkness: Do not scan in unlit rooms or at night without lights.

• Mirrors & Windows: Avoid pointing the camera directly at mirrors for long periods, and do not try to scan the exterior of the house through a glass window.

• Multitasking: Do not minimise the app or switch to other apps during the scan.

• Lens Obstruction: Be careful not to cover the camera lenses with your fingers or place the phone face-down on a surface.

• Moving Objects: Avoid scanning people or pets moving through the scene if possible.