Epic Games brings 3D scanning to smartphones via new app

Epic Games has unveiled a new 3D scanning app for smartphones called RealityScan.

The app uses smartphone cameras and photography to create high-quality 3D photogrammetric models of real-world objects for use on digital platforms. You can take a closer look at how this works in the new Epic promotional video embedded below.

In the video, the user takes multiple photos of an object—in this case, a chair—which then allows the app to create a 3D model that can be used in digital apps, and scaled and positioned as needed.

Epic says the app "guides users through the scanning process with interactive feedback, AR guidance, and data quality checks" and can then create a model "almost instantly." The resulting models can be uploaded to Sketchfab (which Epic acquired in the middle of last year) and used on many platforms, including VR and AR.

The app was developed by Epic in collaboration with CapturingReality (acquired by Epic last year) and Quixel. It's currently in limited beta for iOS - the first 10 users will get access on a first-come, first-served basis, with wider access coming later in the spring.

It's not the first app to offer a form of 3D scanning on smartphones, but it's arguably the most high-profile hack on the concept. Capturing 3D objects is likely to play a big role in the future of VR and AR. Headsets like the Varjo XR-3 with lidar allow users to scan their surroundings and present them to others in real time, while games like Puzzling Places also showcase the creativity of photogrammetric data by offering puzzles made up of real objects and places. , scanned into the game as 3D models.

You can join the limited beta of RealityScan for iOS right now, while seats last, through TestFlight. Android support will arrive later this year. You can read more about RealityScan here.