At Veesus, we’re proud to have played our part in making point cloud data more accessible to designers and other professionals in a whole range of industries. Our software removes the complexities of working with point clouds, making it easy to work with – and drive value from – point cloud data. Over the years, we’ve evolved our original software in line with what our customers have told us is important to them, and created new software to help address the challenges of using point clouds in CAD tools.

Today, that drive to make point clouds simpler for everyone is moving up another gear as we release Zappcha to the world. And I couldn’t be more excited about it.

Zappcha started with a single dream – to make it easier than ever to create and work with point cloud data. We created an app that makes use of the LiDAR scanners in next-generation Apple devices, letting you scan items using your phone or tablet – from objects to rooms, even to small buildings. It’s incredibly simple to use, it’s free, and you can download it from the app store now.

However, as we developed the app we also started to think about what users would want to do with the point cloud once it was captured. After all, one of the challenges of point clouds is working with them once they’ve been captured. And that’s what led us to create the Zappcha Cloud. As the name implies, it’s a cloud-based platform that allows you to store, view and share point cloud data. You can upload scans captured using the Zappcha app, or you can upload any point cloud data via a web browser.

Once your point clouds are in the Zappcha Cloud, you can view and analyse them using our web-based viewer. You can take measurements, calculate volumes, and perform other simple tasks right there in your web browser. And if you want someone else to look at your point clouds, you can share a link to them via email. You get 1GB of storage for free when you sign up to the Zappcha Cloud (which should hold at least 10 scans from your Zappcha app), and if you or your business needs more storage then you can upgrade to one of our paid plans – head here to find out more and sign up.

The fact that you can upload point clouds captured from anywhere to the Zappcha Cloud makes it great for those working with point clouds in a professional capacity. It’s a viable alternative for SMBs who might be put off investing in their own on-premise server to store and share point clouds. And because the Zappcha Cloud is… well, cloud-based, it enables you and your colleagues to access and analyse point cloud data from anywhere – the office, at home, or on site – making it ideal for the modern world of flexible working and collaboration.

Crucially, we’ve also integrated Zappcha into our existing products. Users of Arena4D, Point Clouds for Rhino, and Point Clouds for SolidWorks will all be able to access the Zappcha Cloud natively through their software – it appears just like another drive on your computer. This makes it incredibly easy to load and save point cloud data to the Zappcha Cloud, and to integrate scans from the Zappcha app into your existing processes. For example, you can capture a scan on the app, save it to the cloud, and then load it in Arena4D to take advantage of Arena4D’s powerful point cloud editing and animation functionality.

It’s incredibly exciting to take this next step on our journey to make point clouds accessible and useful to everyone. A big thank you is due to the team at Veesus for their tireless work developing, testing and refining Zappcha – especially during the year we’ve all had. All that’s left now is for you to try it!

As I mentioned above, the app is totally free to use, and the Zappcha Cloud includes 1GB of storage free when you sign up. So, go and take it for a test drive!

We’re always keen to hear what our users have to say about our software, too – it’s part of what’s made us successful over the years. So, if you have thoughts about Zappcha – things you like, features you’d like to see, and of course any questions or teething issues – we’d love to know about them. Just click here to drop us an email.

Thanks, and enjoy Zappcha – point clouds in the palm of your hand.