Field Report: Comparative Analysis of Handheld SLAM LiDAR Systems for Architectural Heritage Documentation on Elgin Street

by Aymen Aiblu  | July 29, 2026 | Ottawa, ON - Canada

1. Introduction

This report details a field scanning workshop conducted on Elgin Street in Ottawa, focusing on the integration of rapid 3D digital reconstruction tools for architectural documentation. The session was led by my PhD supervisor Prof. Dr. Mario Santana Quintero and attended by researchers from Carleton Immersive Media Studio (CIMS) alongside other professionals.

The objective of this field mission was to evaluate the performance, mobility, and real-time processing capabilities of two distinct SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) LiDAR platforms: the SHARE C1 and the XGRIDS Lixel K1. The practical deployment of these tools on Elgin Street provided an opportunity to assess their viability for generating Digital Twins of historic brick and stone facades, contributing directly to ongoing research in Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM) and digital archiving.

2. Equipment and Technical Specifications

During the workshop, our team deployed two different hardware and software ecosystems to capture the urban landscape and heritage structures.

2.1. SHARE C1 and SHARE PointClouds Studio

The first device evaluated was the SHARE C1, a personal 3D LiDAR spatial camera designed for rapid, portable data acquisition.

• The SHARE C1 incorporates a 360° horizontal LiDAR system paired with dual 194° wide-angle RGB cameras.

• This hardware fusion allows the scanner to align point clouds and apply true-color textures without external calibration.

• The device generates dense 3D data by capturing 200,000 points per second.

• Point cloud accuracy is rated at better than 1 cm, matching the precision of professional-grade stationary scanners.

• The scanner offers a functional range of up to 70 meters under optimal conditions, making it highly effective for outdoor, large-scale environmental mapping.

• Captured data is processed natively using SHARE PointClouds Studio, a proprietary software capable of exporting .las, .ply, and .pcd files for downstream CAD and 3DGS workflows.

Field Deployment: As seen in the image above on the right side, the SHARE C1 was utilized to capture high-fidelity geometric data of a traditional brick facade along Elgin Street. The real-time processing feedback was monitored via a smartphone application directly attached to the handle, which displays progress indicators during capture. The device was also used to map street furniture and utility poles with precision, demonstrating its sub-centimeter capability in recognizing complex, localized urban features.

2.2. XGRIDS Lixel K1 and LixelStudio

The second system tested was the XGRIDS Lixel K1, a highly compact and lightweight scanning unit optimized for mobility and real-time visualization.

• The Lixel K1 features a 40-channel 360° LiDAR integrated with dual 48 MP panoramic vision modules.

• Weighing less than 1 kg, the aluminum alloy body is designed for high portability and ease of use in the field.

• It captures environments at a scan speed of 200,000 points per second with an effective range of up to 40 meters.

• The system yields an absolute accuracy of ≤ 3 cm and a relative accuracy of ± 1.2 cm.

• Multi-sensor data fusion, combining LiDAR, vision, and GNSS data, allows the scanner to generate rich-colored, finely detailed 3D point cloud models in real time.

Field Deployment: The compact nature of the Lixel K1 allowed the team to operate it flexibly. The group initially configured the device using a mini-tripod on the sidewalk to establish baseline parameters. During mobile capture, the connected smartphone interface allowed users to toggle environmental settings and initialize the scan. Handheld operation of the K1 provided a live visualization of the generated point cloud spatial map traversing the street. The high mobility of the Lixel K1 proved especially beneficial when documenting complex elevations; for instance, the device allowed for seamless scanning while traversing the stone steps of a heritage residential structure without disrupting the trajectory.

3. Data Processing and Preliminary Findings

Both systems bypass the traditional time bottlenecks associated with terrestrial laser scanning by eliminating multiple setup stations and extensive post-processing registration. The SHARE C1 provided exceptional localized detail on architectural masonry, leveraging its high precision for heritage diagnostics. Conversely, the XGRIDS Lixel K1 excelled in rapid, continuous motion, effortlessly maintaining tracking stability while navigating changes in elevation.

The generated datasets will be processed through SHARE PointClouds Studio and LixelStudio, respectively, to test their capacity for generating architectural floor plans, sections, and photorealistic 3D Gaussian Splats.

4. Conclusion

This joint workshop successfully demonstrated the transformative potential of lightweight, AI-driven SLAM technology in the built environment. By utilizing the SHARE C1 and XGRIDS Lixel K1 on Elgin Street, the CIMS team was able to capture complex urban data accurately and efficiently. These technologies provide critical infrastructure for generating the Digital Twins necessary for modern heritage conservation and sustainable urban planning.

Scanning Historical Monuments with the XGRIDS Lixel K1

This video is relevant because it demonstrates a field workflow closely mirroring our Elgin Street session, showcasing how the Lixel K1 scanner is utilized to rapidly digitize historic architectural structures and process them into realistic 3D representations.