Pointcloud

A point cloud is a large collection of data points in a three-dimensional coordinate system. Each point in the set typically represents a surface location in a three-dimensional space and is often the X, Y, and Z coordinate of a captured point. Point clouds are the result of 3D scanning, which captures the external surfaces of objects. These points can be used to create a 3D model of the scanned object.

Point clouds are used in a variety of fields. In manufacturing and industrial design, they are used for quality control, inspection, and reverse engineering. Architects and engineers use point clouds for building information modeling (BIM) and for surveying. In archaeology, point clouds are employed to document and preserve historical sites. The autonomous vehicle industry utilizes point clouds from LiDAR sensors to map the environment and navigate.

The data generated by 3D scanning technologies such as LiDAR, structured light scanners, and photogrammetry can result in very dense point clouds. Processing these large datasets requires specialized software and considerable computational power. Techniques like point cloud registration are used to align multiple scans into a single, coherent point cloud. Filtering and segmentation are common post-processing steps to remove noise and isolate specific objects or features within the data. Ultimately, point clouds serve as a foundational dataset for creating digital representations of physical objects and environments.