3D Scanning And How It’s Reshaping Industries

Photogrammetry, NeRF and Gaussian Splatting

3D scanning is no longer a niche tool for engineers and game designers. It’s now a core technology across industries, from construction to healthcare, from digital twins to immersive VR and AR experiences. Thanks to innovations like photogrammetry, Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF) and Gaussian Splatting, we’re witnessing a revolution in how the world captures, understands, and reuses physical spaces and objects.

In this post, we’ll break down how 3D scanning works, explore the latest techniques, and show how industries are using it to cut costs, increase accuracy, and open new creative possibilities.

What Is 3D Scanning?

3D scanning is the process of capturing a physical object or space and turning it into a digital 3D model. This model can be used for inspection, analysis, modification, or immersive experiences. Depending on the use case, the scan can be accurate down to millimeters or optimized for visual fidelity.

There are several major types of 3D scanning:

• Laser scanning (LiDAR) – Great for large structures and environments

• Structured light scanning – Ideal for high-detail objects

• Photogrammetry – Uses photographs to recreate geometry and texture

• Volumetric capture – Used for moving objects and people

• NeRF & Gaussian Splatting – AI-powered methods that synthesize 3D views from 2D input with photorealism

Each method has pros and cons. But increasingly, hybrid approaches are becoming the norm, combining techniques to balance speed, quality, and scalability.

Core Technologies Behind 3D Scanning

Photogrammetry: Turning Photos into 3D Models

Photogrammetry is the most accessible and scalable method. By capturing dozens (or hundreds) of overlapping images of an object or scene, software can reconstruct it in 3D using triangulation.

It’s perfect for:

• Architecture and heritage documentation

• Film and game environment capture

• E-commerce and virtual showrooms

• Product prototyping

Modern photogrammetry tools like RealityCapture or Metashape offer high-fidelity texture maps and scale-aware geometry, making them an essential tool in any digital production pipeline.

NeRF: Neural Radiance Fields

NeRF is an AI-driven approach that uses neural networks to learn how light interacts in a scene. Instead of explicitly building geometry, it learns to generate 3D views by training on multiple 2D images.

This method excels in:

• Dynamic lighting simulations

• Volumetric video capture

• Photoreal digital twins

Though not traditionally geometry-based, NeRF has become a powerful tool in immersive media, film previsualization, and training simulations where realism is more important than measurement.

Gaussian Splatting: Speed Meets Visual Fidelity

A recent breakthrough, Gaussian Splatting, replaces heavy polygon meshes with a cloud of 3D Gaussian blobs. These blobs blend smoothly and render incredibly fast, ideal for real-time experiences in AR, VR, or Web3D environments.

Use cases:

• VR/AR experiences that require ultra-fast rendering

• Digital twins where high visual fidelity is more important than clean mesh topology

• Live 3D streaming for remote collaboration and virtual tourism

It’s particularly well suited for industries like automotive, defense, and entertainment where real-time performance is essential.

How Different Industries Are Using 3D Scanning

1. Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC)

• BIM Integration: Scans of buildings feed directly into Revit or Rhino to compare actual builds to design specs

• Renovation planning: Architects scan historical buildings to map existing structures in precise detail

• Progress tracking: LiDAR scans are used to compare week-over-week site changes

2. Manufacturing & Industrial Design

• Reverse engineering: Old parts can be scanned, analyzed, and recreated as CAD files

• Quality control: High-precision scans are compared to specs to catch errors early

• Digital prototyping: Products can be quickly modified and tested in virtual space

3. Healthcare & Biomechanics

• Prosthetics and orthotics: 3D scanning helps create custom-fit devices

• Surgical planning: Complex scans of patients allow doctors to simulate procedures

• Biomechanical analysis: Human movement and form can be digitized for sports science

4. Entertainment and Media

• Game development: Real-world environments are turned into game levels using photogrammetry

• Virtual production: Film studios use scans to build virtual sets and actors

• Volumetric video: 3D scans of people allow full-body motion capture without markers

5. Real Estate & Property

• Virtual walkthroughs: Scans of homes and apartments enable 360-degree tours

• Site inspection: Builders and inspectors use mobile scans for easy documentation

• Interior design: 3D scans are used to plan and visualize furniture layouts

6. Cultural Heritage and Museums

• Artifact preservation: Fragile objects are scanned before deterioration

• Virtual exhibitions: Remote visitors can explore 3D reconstructions online

• Restoration: Artists and conservators use scans to recreate missing or damaged parts

Scanning Meets XR and AI

At Canopy Creative, we work at the cutting edge where 3D scanning, AI and immersive media converge. We use photogrammetry and NeRF to build VR training simulations, AR sales activations, and digital twins for some of Australia’s most forward-thinking companies.

For example:

• In education, we help schools bring historical reconstructions to life through real-world photogrammetry combined with WebXR.

• In marketing, we build interactive product visualisations using Gaussian splats that load instantly in a mobile browser.

• In industrial training, we scan real equipment and build VR simulations that reduce training time by up to 50%.

Choosing the Right 3D Scanning Approach

Not all 3D scanning solutions are equal. Choosing the right one depends on:

• Accuracy needs: Laser scanning for millimeter precision, or NeRF for visual realism?

• Speed and cost: Photogrammetry is fast and affordable but needs many photos

• End use: Are you creating a game asset, a training sim, or a 3D archive?

At Canopy Creative, we help you navigate these decisions to design a scanning and asset creation workflow that works for your goals and your audience.

3D scanning is no longer a future technology, it’s a present-day essential. From NeRF’s AI-powered visuals to Gaussian Splatting’s performance boost, the tools have matured. And the industries that embrace them today will lead tomorrow’s digital transformation.

If you're considering scanning your environment, digitizing your product line, or building a training experience, our team can help you craft a workflow tailored to your needs, budget and industry.