View BIM in Augmented Reality on Your Phone with New App

Dalux TwinBIM

Dalux TwinBIM

Augmented and Virtual Reality has always been designated for large headsets. Even with recent developments in the construction industry, like Microsoft Hololens and the DAQRI Smart Helmet, if you want to experience AR, you have to get used to wearing something you’re not used to around a job site.  As cool as both of those technologies are, it seems that the ole trusty smartphones and tablets have been overlooked. A Danish BIM company has developed a smartphone and tablet application that leaves the headsets behind.

TwinBIM, by Dalux, takes your project’s BIM model and, using your phone or tablet’s camera, overlays the model onto the real-life structures that have already been built around your jobsite.  BIM models can be pretty complex, so being able to view them within context can be especially helpful.

The app works through Google Tango (no longer active), an augmented reality platform, and creates a 3D map of your project to accurately place your BIM model. Google Tango’s website only shows that the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro and the Asus ZenForce AR are the only phone’s currently using Tango technology.

Dalux states that this technology costs “a fraction of the price compared to other solutions,” but no pricing is available on their website. It’s included as part of their other program, Dalux Field, a project management software.  Dalux products are currently available in most European countries, but does not appear to be available in the US just yet.  It’s interesting technology to keep an eye on.

Check out the video below to see how it works: