Accuracy Assessment of LiDAR Sensors on Mobile Devices for 3D Modeling

Abstract

This research aims to evaluate the accuracy of a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor installed on a mobile device by comparing it with a handheld LiDAR scanner for high-accuracy 3D modeling. To assess the accuracy of the LiDAR sensor, the researchers selected a single-story residential building with an area of 20 square meters as the study site. Eight control points were established within the building to serve as reference points for accuracy testing. Data were collected by scanning the building's interior using both the mobile device’s LiDAR sensor and the handheld LiDAR scanner to generate 3D models through point cloud processing. Subsequently, the accuracy of the 3D models obtained from the mobile device and the handheld LiDAR scanner was evaluated by comparing the distances between the control points within the building. The results of the study indicate that the LiDAR sensor on the mobile device achieves accuracy at the centimeter level, and the accuracy of root mean square error (RMSE) is 0.060 m. These findings suggest that 3D models generated using the mobile device's LiDAR sensor can be effectively applied in construction engineering tasks that require centimeter-level accuracy, such as monitoring progress in construction projects.