Gaussian Splat Workflow

SketchUp Pro
1

Hey all,

I’ve been testing out some workflows using lidar scans and Scan Essentials. I’m looking at trying gaussian splats, and I have a few questions.

  1. Lidar scans have one color per point, gaussian splats use ellipsoids of varying size, mapped with different colors. This helps achieve more photo real appearances when viewed from different angles. When I import a PLY file into SketchUp from a splat, are the colors for each point simplified or does it retain the multiple colors per ellipsoid?

  2. My ideal workflow looks something like this:

Scan site > Import Splat into SU > add design elements with splat as background > view combined splat and design in VR

Most of the workflows I see require that I model everything I want to view in VR, because the splat/pointcloud is basically a reference object in sketchup, which requires the scan essentials plugin in order view in the SU editor.

Is anyone using a workflow where the pointcloud is used in the final design review as a background?

2

Currently SketchUp cant render Gaussians. You would need to apply the texture onto a mesh before it can be rendered. Though I don’t have much experience with the VR so I might be missing something.

This thread has a lot being discussed not sure if you have seen it yet:

3

A pointcloud and a gaussian splat are entirely different. A PLY file is simply a container for many different types of 3D data and can actually hold meshes,pointclouds and gaussian splats simultaneous.y

  1. You might want to join trimble labs and take a look at some of the new gaussian splats features for sketchup

There is a betaplugin for sketchup at the moment, so it may be some time off before releases and maybe more time again for it to become available in any web version.
Certainly worth a look

4

You can import your PLY file into Cloudcompare and save it as a LAS file. That file will be perfectly imported into SketchUp using Scan Essentials at the moment.

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5

@rtches thanks. At that point, is the source gaussian effectively conversed to a point cloud?

6

@Elmtec-Adam thanks, this is super useful.

I signed up for Trimble Labs - how do I get access to the gaussian splat beta plugin?

7

Thanks @TazSavage this is useful.

8

sorry, wrong link

Welcome to SketchUp Private Labs!

2 Likes
9

The test I did was reasonably good

10

Hi all,
Glad to see this conversation and the growing interest around Gaussian Splats.
@Elmtec-Adam thank you for sharing the link to our private testing program!
I just made a more official announcement about the Gaussian Splatting extension so that folks can get some additional information about the ongoing work and sign up for testing: 🌕 Turn Images or Video to 3D with the new SketchUp Gaussian Splat extension🌕

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