Matterport is a service that digitises physical spaces and shares them online for everyone to explore. While this technology used to require really expensive cameras, today, spaces can be captured using your mobile device and takes just minutes.
One of the best use cases for this is real estate sales, particularly over the past couple of years where in-person inspections and travel have been limited by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Given the Matterport technology creates digital and digital environments, they are keen for you to think of them, when you think about the Metaverse.
While there is no direct announcement for asset creation in virtual environments today, clearly they are well-positioned to go down that path, when Zuckerberg executes on his next VR hardware and the vision for the Metaverse he presented back in October.
The digital twins created by Matterport users are accurate digital representations of physical spaces and while the virtual world enables an endless amount of possibilities, imagine shopping for real estate and actually being able to walk through a new home before you buy it, from another state, or even across the world.
It’s possible that people want to have virtual spaces that start from reality and can be customised from there, or get exposure to locations around the globe, without the hassle, or health risks of flying there.
Some of the current and potential uses for digital twins include making tricky repair works through digital simulations and allowing businesses to troubleshoot for any potential blind spots in buildings or hard-to-access areas.
Increasingly digital twins are redefining accessibility options for those unable to travel or wishing to explore physical locations before arrival. For consumers, this technology has enhanced immersive experiences particularly in the retail, tourism, real estate and hospitality industries!
Below is a list of Matterport digital twin uses for different industries to show the breadth of this technology and it is growing and evolving by the day:
3D for Travel & Hospitality
- Travel: Digital twins allow businesses – be it an Air BnB rental or a tropical resort in Mauritius – to elevate the promotion of their accommodation with 3D tours to increase bookings, occupancy rates, and engagement rates. For consumers displaying potential destinations in this manner provides inside look at a holiday destination or accommodation, all before committing to a trip. Overall, this provides a whole new level of transparency for holidaymakers.
- Travel: Digital twins allow for preservation of culturally significant and historical tourist destinations. Not only does a realistic digital twin allow one to experience sites such as the Mehu Tomb and the Abu Simbel Temple in Egypt, but this technology also reduces foot traffic to historically fragile sites, thus aiding preservation. Tourists alike can experience the wealth of knowledge these historical sites can offer without contributing to their demise.
- Hospitality: Using digital twins, offer hybrid dining experiences that allow customers to discover venues prior to arrival. This is especially useful when providing reassurance of social distancing measures or accessibility procedures. For example: Gordon Ramsay’s Hells’ Kitchen
3D for Real Estate
The ability to easily capture, edit and share 3D models of physical spaces and create digital twins has been instrumental in advertising real estate listings during the pandemic. Imagine buying a property without ever physically viewing it? For example: Apartment tours
Transform Retail experiences in 3D
Consumers can visit their favourite stores and interact with and purchase merchandise virtually anywhere in the country or do a location scout of a physical store for assurance on social distancing measures before visiting e.g. Nike Store in Milan
3D Scanning for Insurance and Restoration
Property owners that are fearful of flood, drought, bushfires can use, digital twins can help deliver transparent, and fair documentation for efficient and accurate valuations e.g. Fire Damage Scan by Superior Restoration
Check out some of Matterport digital twin examples below.