Blog posts tagged with 'matterport app'

Issues with Matterport Property Reports — Understanding the Causes and Improving Results

The introduction of the automated Property Report feature from Matterport has generated considerable interest across the property, architecture, engineering and facilities management sectors.

The report offers a fast and highly automated method of generating building outline plans and room data directly from Matterport digital twins. However, recent support discussions with purchasers of Matterport Pro3 cameras through Hitechniques Limited, combined with feedback from participants attending the CaptureTrain Certified Matterport Capture and Postproduction Training Course, have highlighted several recurring issues affecting report accuracy.

These include:

• Missing rooms
• Missing doors
• Incorrect room recognition
• Unexpected shapes appearing within plans
• Spaces being incorrectly categorised

Understanding the Matterport Property Report

The Matterport Property Report is a relatively new feature and remains an evolving technology.

The report is generated automatically using AI-assisted analysis of the spatial data captured during scanning. It is designed to provide:

• Outline floor plans
• Room dimensions
• Ceiling heights
• Approximate room areas

While the automation is impressive, the quality of the final output is directly linked to the quality of the original capture process.

In practice, the Property Report should be viewed as an intelligent automated interpretation of the captured data rather than a manually verified architectural drawing.

Common Causes of Errors

Analysis of problematic models supplied by clients suggests that many issues originate during scanning rather than during report generation itself.

1. Missing Doors

One recurring issue involved doors disappearing from the generated outline plan.

In several cases, the operator had captured only a single scan position within a doorway rather than taking scans on both sides of the door threshold. This reduced the AI’s ability to interpret the doorway correctly within the spatial model.

2. “Spray” Data from Unmarked Windows

Another common issue involved windows that had not been properly marked during capture.

This allowed LiDAR or visual data to project outside the building envelope, creating what operators often describe as “spray”.

Consequences included:

• Rooms not being recognised correctly
• External artefacts appearing within plans
• Distorted room geometry

In one example, the external spray data caused the AI to generate a non-existent bay window within the Property Report.

3. Roller Shutters and Open Industrial Spaces

In a commercial building consisting of offices and warehouse areas, the warehouse had been scanned with full-height roller shutters open at both ends. The result was that the AI interpreted the space as an open-sided carport rather than an enclosed internal room.

This highlights the importance of controlling environmental conditions during capture wherever possible.

Labels and Schematic Floor Plans

Another point causing confusion relates to room labels.

Custom room labels added during Matterport Workshop postproduction can appear within Schematic Floor Plans when configured appropriately. However, these labels currently do not transfer into the automated Property Report.

This distinction is important for clients expecting consistency between the two products.

The Importance of Good Capture Practice

The key lesson emerging from these support cases is straightforward: AI-assisted outputs are only as good as the data supplied to them.

As Matterport continues to refine automated reporting tools, operators must increasingly focus on disciplined scanning methodology and understanding how environmental conditions affect AI interpretation. Professional capture practice remains essential.

This is one of the core themes explored during the CaptureTrain Certified Matterport Capture and Postproduction Training Course, where scanning methodology, troubleshooting, workflow optimisation and postproduction techniques are covered in detail

Matterport's new "Defurnish" feature is a game-changer for real estate and AEC professionals, allowing you to view spaces without furniture. However, directly sharing a defurnished view isn't straightforward—yet. Here's a quick workaround:

Steps:

1. Log In and Share:

   • Access your Matterport account on a desktop computer.
   • Select the desired space and click "Share" in the top right corner.
   • Choose "Unlisted" and then click "Copy Link."

2. Generate the Defurnished Link:

   • Paste the copied link into a new browser window.
   • In the Matterport model, click the "Defurnish" toggle (bottom left).
   • Now copy the URL from the browser's address bar.

3. Share the Defurnished View:

   • Use the newly copied URL to share the defurnished version of your Matterport model.

Important Note:

• Currently, Matterport only provides a direct share link for the furnished version.
• Matterport has announced that they are working on adding the ability to share the defurnished view directly, and to toggle the guided tour navigation between the two states. This announcement was made on February 20th 2025.
• Until that update is released, this workaround allows you to share your defurnished models effectively.

Encountering strange glitches in your Matterport Pro 3 scans? We recently had a few reports of a puzzling issue where preview images showed a "fracture" at the image join points, even though the final virtual tour looked perfect. (See before & after photos). We tested this with multiple cameras, tripods in different locations and the apparent issue were consistent.

The solution? A simple firmware update! After updating our Matterport Pro 3 camera's firmware, the preview glitch vanished. This highlights the importance of keeping all your Matterport software up to date.

Keep reading for a quick guide to ensure smooth Matterport captures.

Keeping Your Matterport Software Up-to-Date

Regularly check for updates for the three key components - iPad operating system, Matterport App and Matterport camera firmware. See below our step-by-step instructions.

iPad Operating System:

• Go to Settings > General > Software Update

Matterport App:

1. Open the App Store
2. Tap your profile icon (top right)
3. Scroll or search for the Matterport app. (Note: The Matterport Showcase app is not relevant for capture.)
4. Update if available.

Matterport Camera Firmware:

1. Connect iPad to building's Wi-Fi.
2. Open the Matterport app.
3. Tap Settings (bottom left).
4. Follow the Firmware update link.
5. Disconnect iPad from building's Wi-Fi.
6. Turn on your Matterport camera.
7. Connect your iPad to the camera's Wi-Fi.
8. An update prompt should appear. If not:
9. Go to Settings within the app.
10. Follow the prompts to update the firmware.

By keeping your iPad OS, Matterport app, and camera firmware current, you can prevent unexpected issues and ensure your virtual tours are flawless.