A brief history of Matterport

A brief history of Matterport

Virtual tours
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Matterport call themselves a ‘spatial data company’ which is a fancy way of saying they provide technology which allow you to capture images and measurements of internal spaces. This information can then be used for many purposes from virtual tours for estate agents, to generating .OJB or BIM files for architects, engineers and construction companies.

There are many benefits in using the Matterport system for many industries. We originally used the iPix system to create virtual tours for our clients before adopting the Matterport system about 7 years ago and we’ve been lucky enough to provide virtual tour and related services (such as drone mapping) to some amazing companies over those years.

Here is a selection of benefits we’ve delivered to clients:

For estate agents – when you’re selling a property, it’s not always convenient for people to visit in person. Also, if you’re living in the property, you’d probably prefer not to have an endless stream of people nosing around every Saturday morning. A virtual tour allows people to explore the property wherever they are in the world and at whatever time is convenient for them. This also makes sure that the people who do visit in person are actually serious. The ‘curious’ ones who just want to have look around can now do that online. Example: Staves Estate Agent
Universities – these days, most universities rely on the income from foreign students. However, how do you attract them? A virtual tour allows you to show potential students (and their parents) around your facilities without them having to be there in person. After all, China is a very long way away – not somewhere you can simply pop over for a Saturday afternoon open day! Example: University of Oxford
University accommodation providers – again, your tenants are most likely not in the same city as you, and often not even in the same country as you. The other problem is that the accommodation needs to be vacant AND looking its best. Capture the virtual tour then, and you can suddenly let potential tenants have a look around at any time. The accommodation will always be ‘virtually’ vacant and looking it’s best – for as many years as you need it. Example: Liv Student Accommodation (Sheffield, Belfast, Dublin)
Factories and workshops – taking visitors on a tour of your facilities isn’t always easy. Besides the health & safety considerations, you want it to look its best – and most factories certainly don’t always look clean and tidy! The solution? Deep clean once and capture a virtual tour. You can then take you visitors on a virtual tour from the comfort of your boardroom using the big screen. Or if that’s not possible, let them have a look around themselves. No more needing to ‘deep clean’ every time a visitor is coming. Example: Veolia waste water Centrifuge refurbishment workshop, Chesterfield
Tourist attractions – the challenge of getting visitors to your tourist attraction is difficult, and usually very expensive. Google ads, print marketing, promotions, etc. will get people to your site, but how do you convert them into visitors? Who’s got the time or attention span to ‘read’ these days? The best and most effective way to grab someone’s interest is with something interactive, engaging and interesting – something to set you apart from your competitors. A virtual tour is, in my opinion, the best return on investment you could make compared to the other marketing options. Example: Bishops House
Schools – these days, a large proportion of the income a school receives from the local authority is tied to the number of pupils. Schools are now effectively businesses that need to ‘market’ themselves to prospective parents. A great way of doing this is using a virtual tour which allows parents to explore and see the facilities in a very convenient way. This is even before the extra benefits of supporting an ‘enhanced transition’ for children with special educational needs. Example: Buxton Junior School
Engineers, architects, constructions companies – it can be VERY expensive and time consuming to create digital files of a building for use in software such as CAD. The old fashioned way is to go around with a laser measure and input them manually. The modern way is to do it using a combination of virtual tour and drone. Along with things like a a film drone roof survey and traditional style schematic floor plans, we can create internal and external files providing full dimensions information in digital files such as .E57 file, TruPlan (.SKX file) for Xactimate, BIM file (LOD 200 building information model in .RVT and .DWG format), .IFC (platform neutral) & .RCS (ReCap point cloud) files, GeoTIFF map, JPG map, External and internal point cloud, Elevation, Digital Terrain Model (DTM), 3D model, Ceiling colour plan, Colour plan, .OBJ & .MTL files, .YYZ Cloud file, Edge annotations (External), Full HDR virtual tour – accessible via desktop, mobile and VR (Oculus VR), Interactive internal 3D model, & HDR images & internal 3D views. Example: Bodoir

Here at 360 Virtual View work throughout the UK providing virtual tour and drone services. For more information, get in touch by mobile or WhatsApp on 07930944001, landline on 0114 383 0711 or email info@360virtualview.co.uk

Matterport established in 2011

Matterport was founded in 2011 by Dave Gausebeck, Matt Bell, and Mike Beebe with the vision to create a world where anyone can easily capture and share 3D experiences. The company was inspired by the increasing richness of digital worlds, such as open-world video games and 3D training simulations, but recognized that the budgets for creating these worlds were often out of reach for most businesses and consumers.

Matterport’s mission is to democratize 3D capture and make it accessible to everyone. The company’s platform enables users to create high-quality 3D models of any space using a variety of hardware devices, including smartphones, tablets, and professional cameras. Once a model is created, it can be easily shared and experienced with others through a web browser or mobile app.

Matterport’s technology has been used by a wide range of customers, including real estate agents, architects, engineers, construction companies, and retailers. The company’s platform has been used to create virtual tours of homes and businesses, to plan and track construction projects, and to develop new products and services.

Here is a timeline of some of the key milestones in Matterport’s history:

2011: Matterport is founded in Sunnyvale, California.
2012: Matterport launches its first product, the Matterport Camera.
2013: Matterport releases its cloud-based platform for creating and sharing 3D models.
2014: Matterport announces a partnership with Google to bring 3D tours to Google Maps.
2015: Matterport launches its Matterport Pro3 camera, which offers improved image quality and faster capture times.
2016: Matterport launches its Matterport for iPad app, which makes it possible to create 3D models using a tablet.
2017: Matterport announces a partnership with Autodesk to bring 3D models to Autodesk Revit.
2018: Matterport launches its Matterport Cloud platform, which provides users with a secure and scalable way to store and manage their 3D data.
2019: Matterport launches its Matterport Capture app for iPhone, which makes it possible to create 3D models using a smartphone.
2020: Matterport launches its Matterport Cortex AI platform, which uses artificial intelligence to improve the quality and accuracy of 3D models.
2021: Matterport launches its Matterport Pro2 camera, which offers the highest resolution and fastest capture times of any Matterport camera to date.
2022: Matterport launches its Matterport Elements platform, which provides developers with a set of tools and APIs for building custom 3D applications.

Matterport has raised over $114 million in funding from investors such as Lux Capital, Qualcomm Ventures, and DCM Ventures. The company is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with additional offices in San Francisco, Chicago, New York City, and London.