Scan a room with your iPhone, let AI rebuild it

What it is

Wes Bos, a well-known web developer, shared a free, open-source project called 3D Model Anything. You walk around a room with an iPhone or iPad, it scans the space, and an AI coding agent uses that scan to rebuild the room as a 3D model you can explore.

The phone captures a lot in one go: walls, doors and windows already labeled, simple boxes where the furniture sits, a detailed depth map of every surface, and photos that remember exactly where the camera was standing. Scan the dining room today and the kitchen next week. A whole house, at your own pace.

Why it caught my eye

The scan is nice, but what happens after is better. The project gives the AI agent a playbook that has it work like a patient draughtsperson: measure the room, build the model, then compare its renders against the real photos. Spot what's off, fix it, look again.

The author is honest that this is a back-and-forth rebuild, not a magic button, and that it only handles rooms and interiors for now. I like that.

Then you get to wander: dollhouse view, walking view, overhead, wireframe, or everything laid out neatly in a knolling view.

Words worth knowing

• LiDAR: a tiny laser sensor in some iPhones and iPads. It measures distance by bouncing light off surfaces.
• Agent skill: a written playbook you hand an AI agent so it follows a proven process instead of improvising.
• Knolling: arranging objects neatly at right angles so you can see everything at once.

Worth a thought

If you run a restaurant, a shop or a studio, picture a walkable 3D version of your space, made with a phone you might already own. You'll need an iPhone or iPad with LiDAR on iOS 17 or later, plus someone comfortable with AI coding tools. Have a look: github.com/wesbos/3d-model-anything