Markerless AR Measurement
Markerless AR Measurement
Revolutionising how stairlifts are measured and fitted with markerless AR technology.
The Challenge:
Digitising the Physical World
Since 1996, this North of England stairlift manufacturer has built its reputation on uncompromising quality, safety, and custom-fit reliability. But in a modern market, steadfast craftsmanship needs a digital edge.
Their overarching goal was ambitious: to completely leapfrog their competitors by revolutionising how stairlifts are measured and fitted. The existing process relied on manual measurements, a slow, physical task. They knew a digital, markerless solution was the answer, but they had already tried and failed to build it with a previous technology partner.
They needed a system that was quick, incredibly user-friendly, and capable of replacing manual tools without sacrificing a millimetre of trust.
The Response:
Augmented Reality as the Ultimate Tape Measure
Razor was challenged to step in where the previous agency failed. The brief was exact: build a completely markerless Augmented Reality (AR) solution capable of generating digital measurements within a microscopic 2-3 mm accuracy of manual figures.
This wasn't just about measuring a straight line. The software needed to intelligently identify the floor, the landing, the rails, and the specific tread and depth of every single step.
Phase 1:
The Feasibility Sprint
Proving technological capability shouldn't be a money drain. Before writing endless lines of code, we ran a time-boxed "Razor Sprint." We gave ourselves exactly two weeks to prove the concept could work. This rapid validation process mitigates risk and proves the impossible is actually viable.
Phase 2:
Hardware Showdown
To achieve markerless perfection, we rigorously tested the AR capabilities of both Apple and Android ecosystems. The clear frontrunners emerged quickly: iPads and iPhones equipped with built-in LiDAR sensors. By leveraging Apple's ARKit software interface, we had the foundation to build a brand-new, markerless digital mapping tool.
Phase 3:
Stereoscopic Reconstruction
The actual data capture had to be seamless. We engineered the solution so that the device's camera captures video, which then communicates directly with the onboard gyroscope. This instantly generates a stereoscopic reconstruction, granting the software a complete, hyper-accurate 3D understanding of the physical world.
The Result:
A Single Trip Up the Stairs
Our first iteration was a resounding success, fundamentally changing the operational reality for the client's engineering team.
Radical Efficiency: The engineer now only has to walk up the stairs once to capture all crucial, millimetre-accurate measurements.
Global Deployment: The technology is currently live and being used on a wide variety of staircases and materials across multiple countries.
Future-Ready: The Razor Sprint was just the beginning. The foundational tech paves the way for real-time design, allowing customers to digitally amend the colour and trim of their stairlift directly on the device before it is even built.
The true ROI of this technology isn't just the 2mm accuracy. It's the fact that the engineer only has to walk up the stairs once. When you remove physical friction, user adoption takes care of itself.
Why Razor?
When digital innovation stalls, it requires a partner who understands both the bleeding-edge technology and the human user. Razor took a failed concept, applied rigorous, time-boxed testing, and utilised LiDAR and ARKit to turn a standard iPad into an enterprise-grade measurement tool. We didn't just digitise a ruler; we created a competitive leapfrog.
