NavVis Brings Walkable Gaussian Splats to Its Laser-Scanning Platform

How the Splat View Works

A panorama places the viewer at the fixed spot where a camera recorded the scene. A Gaussian splat rebuilds the view from millions of soft, colored 3D shapes, letting the viewer move between those positions and look from new angles.

The rendering method was introduced by graphics researchers in 2023. In IVION, users can move continuously through the scene, add points of interest, share a specific viewpoint, and use Mark & Measure. Measurements still come from the underlying point cloud rather than the softer visual surface.

Splats and Point Clouds

A point cloud gives surveyors discrete 3D points they can inspect and measure, but it can be difficult for other people to read. The splat view turns the MLX scanner's geometry and imagery into recognizable color, surfaces, and depth without replacing the technical record.

Availability

IVION 12's redesigned workflow is generally available, but Splats remain a separate beta that NavVis MLX customers must request. NavVis has not said when access will expand or whether VLX captures will be supported.

It is still early, but it is exciting to see NavVis make laser-scanned sites easier for more people to explore without giving up the survey data underneath.