Augmented Reality View Mode for Mobile BIM Viewer

Overview

Switch to Augmented Reality (AR) view mode in the BIM viewer in the mobile app to compare your plan with the actual build, look behind walls, verify technical building equipment is installed correctly, etc.

You simultaneously see what your mobile device camera captures live and an overlay of the BIM model.

Read about the BIM Viewer.

How to access the BIM Viewer

1. Tap Tickets
   
2. Open the layer selector
   
3. Tap on a layer with a BIM model (marked by a cube icon)
   
4. Tap BIM Model
   

Enter AR Mode

Make sure you are standing in the same physical location that you are viewing in the BIM model, before entering AR mode and aligning the BIM model.

To enter AR mode:

1. Open the More menu
2. Tap Augmented Reality
   

The Enter AR screen opens with two ways to align the BIM model with your surroundings:

• Align automatically (Scan surroundings) — the app aligns the model automatically as you scan the room with your camera.
• Align manually (Set points) — you align the model manually by placing two reference points.

Automatic alignment (Scan surroundings) is available on iOS devices with a LiDAR scanner. On other AR-capable devices, only Set points is shown. On devices that do not support AR, an Unsupported device message appears instead of the Enter AR screen.

Align automatically (Scan surroundings)

To align automatically:

1. Tap Scan surroundings.
   
2. Point your camera at the floor until it is detected.
   
3. Hold your device at eye level and slowly turn in a full circle to scan the surrounding walls and objects.
   

When the scan is complete, AR mode opens automatically with the BIM model aligned.

Align manually (Set points)

To align the BIM model manually:

1. Tap Set points to start the alignment process.
   
2. Set the first point in the BIM model
   Drag the marker to a clearly visible corner where the floor meets the wall, approximately 2–3 meters away from your current position.
   
3. Set the second point in the BIM model
   Drag the marker along the same floor–wall edge as the first point, at a different position.
   
4. Align the camera with the first point
   Point your mobile device toward the same physical corner you selected as the first point.
5. Tap Confirm
   
6. Align the camera with the second point
   Point your mobile device toward the physical location corresponding to the second point.
7. Tap Confirm
   

Once completed, the BIM model should align with your real-world view.

If the alignment is slightly off, you can fine-tune it manually using the adjustment controls as described below in Manually Adjust Alignment.

Look Around in AR Mode

Now you are in AR mode and can look around just by moving your mobile device as if you were taking a photo or video. The BIM model will automatically stay aligned.

Adjust Transparency

You simultaneously see what your mobile device camera captures live and an overlay of the BIM model. You can adjust the transparency to focus more on either the camera view or the BIM model.

To do so:

1. Tap AR
2. Drag the slider.
   Move it to the left to see more from the camera and less of the BIM model.
   Move it to the right to see more of the BIM model and less from the camera.

Manually Adjust Alignment

You can optionally adjust the placement of the BIM model on your camera feed on X, Y, and Z axis and by rotation. This is only necessary in case the automatically aligned positions are a bit off.

To do so:

1. Tap AR
2. Tap Adjustments
   
3. Tap + or - to move the BIM model on the corresponding axis or to rotate it
   
4. Optional: To set a precise rotation, tap the rotation value and enter the number of degrees.

Create a Ticket in AR Mode

You can create tickets in AR mode the same way as described in Tickets BIM View > Create a Ticket.

Exit AR Mode

Exiting AR will not save the alignment. If you re-enter AR mode, you will need to align the BIM model again. Leaving the BIM viewer or switching model/layer will automatically exit AR mode.

To exit AR mode:

1. Tap AR
2. Tap Exit AR mode