The National Science Foundation awarded ATDC Select Company Pointivo $150,000 to conduct a research study that, if successful, could increase the U.S. construction industry’s competitiveness in small-scale commercial projects.
The grant was awarded through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. SBIR is designed to encourage American small businesses to participate in federal research and research and development projects that have potential for commercialization.
Pointivo’s technology captures dimensionally accurate 3D models and measurements of any scene or structure using just a smartphone video camera. Its cloud-based solution simplifies tasks that require accurate measurements or 3D documentation for use in the construction, roofing, insurance, and home improvement industries.
Pointivo will use the funding to study how to use Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology in small-scale projects in a more cost-effective manner. BIM is a digital representation of a structure’s physical and functional characteristics. The information generated from the BIM process about a given structure or facility helps form a reliable basis for decisions during its life-cycle, from design to demolition.
The challenge is the technology is only viable for large-scale commercial construction projects because it’s laborious and expensive. Pointivo will study if a proposed Scan-to-BIM technology would eliminate that barrier.
If successful, it also could identify potential design clashes faster, create more robust data models, and accelerate project schedules, among other benefits.