Oxford Tech Revolutionizes Construction with Real-Time Building Scans
NavLive Secures £4M to Streamline Architecture Workflows
A groundbreaking handheld lidar scanner, born from academic research at the University of Oxford, is poised to transform the architecture and construction sectors. NavLive’s innovative technology, powered by edge AI processing, delivers instant, high-precision building drawings, accelerating project timelines and enhancing collaboration.
AI-Powered Reality Capture
NavLive’s sophisticated scanner captures detailed point cloud data and high-resolution images simultaneously. Its integrated AI algorithms interpret architectural elements like walls, doors, and windows in real-time as the user moves through a structure. This process automatically filters out noise and furniture, producing clean, usable floor plans, elevations, and sections within minutes.
Seamless Workflow Integration
The company’s product originated as a PhD project at Oxford but has now evolved into a commercially viable solution used by firms in the UK and US. NavLive’s AI-powered handheld scanner enables architects, surveyors, and construction professionals to create instant 2D/3D building models and RICS-grade surveys. It also offers direct Scan-to-BIM integration, helping businesses secure clients more rapidly.
Excited to announce #NavLive securing £4M in funding! This breakthrough technology is set to revolutionize the #architecture and #construction industry with its real-time lidar scanning and AI processing capabilities. pic.twitter.com/Zf9j3m4c7j
— NavLive (@NavLiveAI) May 11, 2024
Unlocking Real-Time Project Data
A significant advantage of NavLive’s system is the immediate availability of scanned data. Operators can verify capture completeness on-site via a companion mobile app. Concurrently, office teams can begin reviewing plans and point clouds as they upload, dramatically accelerating site assessments and project planning. This immediacy reduces site visits and ensures teams remain synchronized with actionable building information.
Precision and Efficiency in Data Handling
NavLive tackles the challenge of large point cloud data volumes through intelligent subsampling and on-device processing. The system selects an optimized subset of lidar points, preserving critical spatial detail while significantly reducing file sizes. All processing occurs on the device, minimizing cloud uploads, ensuring faster sync times, and conserving bandwidth.
The technology achieves an impressive 10mm accuracy for its point cloud scans, enabling the creation of highly precise building models. This contrasts with emerging Gaussian Splatting methods, which currently face limitations in high-accuracy 3D reconstruction. The company is an Autodesk Authorized Developer, focusing on seamless data integration into existing professional tools like Autodesk formats, Trimble Connect, and SketchUp.
Supporting the Entire Building Lifecycle
NavLive aims to provide a definitive spatial record throughout a building’s life, from initial design and construction to ongoing operations and maintenance. While not a BIM platform itself, NavLive is actively pursuing real-time Scan-to-BIM automation. This facilitates rapid verification of existing conditions during design, low-effort progress tracking during construction, and valuable spatial context for facility management post-completion.
The construction industry is increasingly adopting digital tools to improve efficiency. A recent industry report indicated that 60% of construction firms are implementing new technologies to streamline project management (Pew Research Center 2023). NavLive’s technology directly addresses this trend by offering unparalleled speed and accuracy in spatial data capture.
