Into the Scaniverse FAQ
Q: What headsets is Into The Scaniverse available for?
It is currently available on Quest 3 and Quest 3S. Stay tuned for expanded support to other VR platforms.
Q: How do I access Into The Scaniverse?
It’s available on the Meta Quest Browser at intothescaniverse.com!
We’ll be launching it as an app in the Meta Horizon Store in early 2025.
Q: What is a Gaussian splat?
Gaussian splatting is a new technique for representing real-life scenes in 3D. It can model the world with amazing detail and fidelity, accurately capturing not only the geometry of the scene, but also lighting and reflections. Best of all, Gaussian splats can be created automatically from scans captured with your smartphone by leveraging the latest advances in machine learning.
Learn more about Gaussian splats.
Q: What is Scaniverse?
Scaniverse is a free app for 3D scanning. It’s the first and only to offer on-device Gaussian splat processing, and connects to a global map that hosts the world’s largest collection of splats. It’s available for iOS and Android.
Q: Can I make my own splats?
Yes! Download the free Scaniverse app, follow the instructions to make a splat, and upload. The whole process takes just a few minutes, and after a few scans you’ll get the hang of it. (Here’s a bit more advice.)
Q: Do I need to have the Scaniverse app on my phone to use Into The Scaniverse on my Meta Quest?
No, you do not. You can navigate the map and explore the full collection without logging in. However, you must log in to like splats or to see your own splats, and to log in you must first be logged in on the Scaniverse app on your phone.
Q: If it’s in the browser, is it still 3D?
Yes! You use the Meta Quest browser to access the web app, but once launched, the WebXR experience is fully immersive with no trace of a browser window.
Q: What do the blue and red pins represent?
Red pins mark splats uploaded by individual Scaniverse users. Blue pins are for community scans, which are compiled from photos taken by people recording point-of-interest information for other Niantic programs such as Wayfarer.
Q: How do I view my own 3D Gaussian splats in Into the Scaniverse?
If you log in, you can access all splats you have uploaded, including those that are unlisted or not on the map. Find them in your Profile.
Without logging in, you’ll have to have uploaded them to the public map and then navigate to the location.
Q: How do I log into my Scaniverse account on my Meta Quest?
- After completing the tutorial, activate your Profile from the filters list on the right of the basket. You’ll see a connection code.
- Open Scaniverse on your iOS device (make sure you are on version 4.0.4 or later), select Library > Settings > “Authorize Meta Quest” and enter the connection code. (Note that Android does not yet support Meta Quest connection.)
- Back in Into the Scaniverse on your headset, the profile panel will confirm the link and you will now see a list of splats you have shared to the map or uploaded unlisted.
Q: Can I view splats that I made on my Android in Into The Scaniverse?
Some splats that were shared to the Scaniverse map from Android users by early December 2024 have been included in the WebXR map. Soon, Android users will be able to view splats they’ve taken since then in Into The Scaniverse. Stay tuned for more details.
Q: Can I save locations?
Yes, you can save locations by “liking” the splats. You will need to be logged in with a Scaniverse account.
Q: Why don’t some splats look as detailed on my Meta Quest compared to what I can see on my phone?
To achieve real-time responsive performance, we developed a series of splat optimization techniques. Visual fidelity is generally sharper with nearer and smaller objects, while the backgrounds are less detailed than what can be seen on a phone or in a browser. Also, Scaniverse 4.0.4 on iOS optimizes splats for Into The Scaniverse during original processing, leading to improved quality compared to previously uploaded splats that we have reprocessed on the server.
Q: Where can I share bugs or feature requests?
Please visit the Scaniverse Community section to share your thoughts. Your input will really help as we prepare to launch a native Meta Quest app.
Q: Why do some of my splats say “unoptimized for VR”?
This is due to your splats being processed with older Scaniverse versions.
If you update Scaniverse on your iOS device and reprocess and re-upload the splat, you’ll have a VR-optimized version ready for you in Into The Scaniverse.
Q: Why can’t I select Discover and Profile? Why is Showcase the only option selectable?
If Showcase is the only option that you can select, this means you’re still in the tutorial guide.
If you’re not sure how to finish it, press the Menu button on your left controller, and select “Reset Tutorial” to reset and restart the flow.
Once you’ve completed the tutorial, all the functionality of Into The Scaniverse will become available to you, including Discover and Profile.