VR Point Cloud Editor

by The Data Visualization Research Lab at University of New Hampshire

Description

This software is a simple point cloud viewer and editor that allows you to examine point cloud models and remove unwanted noise. The editor has a built in outlier identifier that can quickly get rid of egregious noise, though the user also has the option to remove noise with a 3D cursor.

The software accepts .las and .laz files. It was built in Unity with VizLab@UNH's Point Cloud Plugin

Download

To install the software, visit the Application website and click on the download link. The application is free for general use under the BSD 3-Clause License.

Tutorial

(Note: If you do not have a point cloud but would like to test out the application, here is one quick way to create a 3D scan using the Polycam 3D Scanner app. You can also follow this demo tutorial that cleans up a Lego bird model.)

Double click the 'xrpcc.exe' file from the downloaded folder to run application.

A detailed set of instructions to use the app can be found on the Application website.

Other Notes:

  • When you first load a point cloud, it will appear below you. From there you can use your left-hand controller to grab and move the cloud. To scale, use the appropriate scaling buttons referenced in the Controller Layouts section of the official application website.

  • On the Oculus Quest 2: the scale function can also be done by holding down the A button on the right-hand controller

Recommended System Requirements

This application is supported on Windows machines, and it supports all major headsets and controllers through SteamVR and OpenXR.

If you do not have a local Windows machine, you can follow the tutorial here to use Virtual Desktop and a Remote Computer to access the app.

Metrics

The application does not require any coding. Time will vary based on how big your point cloud is and how precise you are cleaning the model.

Based on a user survey, the app was difficult to use to achieve the goal of cleaning a point cloud model. Users reported not being able to complete the task due to app crashes and tools being difficult to use/not working properly. The app tended to crash more for larger point cloud files than smaller files.

A majority of users reported that removing points was intuitive, though less said it was easy to adjust cursor size, possibly due to sensitivity. The menu was reported to be organized.

Conclusion:


Helpful Resources:

Point Cloud Editor Application Website

VisLab at UNH: point cloud research

VisLab at UNH: Unity Point Cloud Plugin

Oculus Quest 2 Controls

Contributed by Beatrice Hoang