Support for ASTM E57 Data Exchange Format

This general type of laser scan and image data exchange process using vendor-specific or other neutral formats can sometimes otherwise be problematic.

Following up on Leica Geosystems' March 2011 public commitment at SPAR 2011 (Houston, Texas. USA) to support the new standard, Leica Geosystems fittingly announced formal support of ASTM E57 in Cyclone at the SPAR Europe 2011 conference, 8th and 9th November 2011 in The Hague, The Netherlands.

The image data consists of what is referred to within Cyclone as the Multi-image. A Multi-image is one or more digital images (taken by an internal camera in Leica Geosystems scanners or taken by external cameras) at or near the same observation point as the scan data. Image-to-scan alignment information is included. Therefore, Cyclone can now write (export) point cloud and associated image data to the E57 exchange format files for use by other E57 compliant software applications. In addition, Cyclone can read (import) point cloud and associated image data from properly formatted E57 exchange files.

Direct support of ASTM E57 data exchange formats in Leica Cyclone software also enables support of this format in all Leica CloudWorx CADD and VR point cloud plug-in applications: CloudWorx for AutoCAD, CloudWorx for MicroStation, CloudWorx for SmartPlant 3D, CloudWorx for SmartPlant Review, CloudWorx for PDMS, CloudWorx for 3D Studio Max, CloudWorx for 3D Studio Max Design, CloudWorx for Maya, and newly announced CloudWorx for Revit.