5 years ago this September, Plnar announced the first Plnar App, which was built using Apple’s augmented reality development tool, ARKit. On September 7, Apple is set to announce RoomPlan, (the beta version was released a few month’s back) which is their latest take on comprehensive AR based room plan generation (with assists from LiDAR and Machine Learning). According to Apple, you can “use RoomPlan to create a parametric 3D model of an interior room.” RoomPlan requires an iOS device that is LiDAR capable, and uses augmented reality to guide a user through the process of capturing all the information necessary to create a 3D model. Much as we did 5 years ago, our dev team is working with the beta version to see how it will enhance our Plnar Professional offering.
The Plnar Snap app, as it exists today, is a world away from its beginnings of marker reliance and Augmented Reality user coaching. First and foremost…its NOT just for Apple anymore. Snap is available in Android and iOS versions, so hardware dependency is a thing of the past. Snap was designed with simplicity in mind, so anyone with a smartphone can self service a claim. We utilize the power of AI and computer vision to create our 3D models, simply by using a smartphone to take pictures. Though AR is still fundamental to our process, we do not require users to operate within an augmented reality space. We instead present them with a simple and familiar photo-based capture flow while leveraging the power of AR (and LiDAR when available) in the background. Our users know intuitively how to capture the required data, and can often complete their capture process in under a couple of minutes while rendering the most accurate interior 3D models available today.
A key feature of Plnar Snap is that it is not LiDAR dependent. LiDAR is a feature which is only available in Apple’s high-end Pro models and a few Android devices. While we do leverage the accuracy improvements afforded by LiDAR when available, we do not require it, which makes Plnar Snap compatible with devices that are many generations old and allows ours to be the only truly scalable smartphone modeling platform for the foreseeable future.
As a Claims Solution, Plnar has worked hard to integrate with the most popular claim management systems including Xactimate, CoreLogic and Guidewire. Our data format is source agnostic and whether we acquire interior data from our Plnar Snap app, Plnar Pro app or via Roomplan, these integrations will continue to be the cornerstones of our digital architecture. We will always strive to get the right data from the policyholder to the adjuster in the fastest and most accurate way possible, no matter the source.
The takeaway:
- Plnar Snap is simple to use – requires no training
- Plnar Snap is a self-service solution – you just need to be able to take a pictures with your phone
- The app is phone agnostic – works with Android and Apple devices
- Does not require LiDAR or any other hardware
- Integrations with claim systems make for seamless import of our assets
We fully expect this latest Apple offering will definitely be all the buzz, and Plnar will continue working with RoomPlan to determine how it will best integrate into and enhance our product offerings.