Recap – Online Talk with CMC Engineers
During the VR Business Club Online Talk on April 1, 2026, CMC Engineers demonstrated how physical spaces can now be converted into usable digital twins in just a few minutes. The focus was on a new form of 3D scanning based on 3D Gaussian Splatting, presented by Max Hirlinger. The technology combines LiDAR, cameras, and spatial tracking into a compact system, thereby lowering the barrier to entry for what was previously considered complex and highly specialized. Scans are generated in just a few minutes, processing is completed quickly, and the results achieve a level of quality that is already suitable for industrial use today.
In the live demonstration, an entire showroom was scanned in real time, visualized immediately, and then made navigable in VR. Additionally, CAD models could be integrated into the scanned environment. This demonstrated that this is not an experimental technology, but a tool ready for immediate use in real-world applications.
Its relevance stems from the breadth of its applications. In sales, realistic reference environments are created that are accessible regardless of time or location. In engineering, existing facilities can be planned and optimized without the need for new measurements. Training and service benefit from digital environments where knowledge can be concretely embedded. At the same time, new opportunities are opening up in the field of machine learning, such as in training autonomous systems in realistic scenarios, as well as in safety planning for complex infrastructures and events.
What we are seeing here is more than just technological progress. The distinction between physical reality and digital representation is losing its practical significance. Spaces are no longer merely documented; they are made immediately usable. This shortens the path from perception to decision and from decision to implementation.
With participants such as Deutsche Bahn and Bayer, it became clear that this development has already taken hold in key industries. CMC’s presentation at the Hannover Messe, starting on April 20, further underscores that this technology is now moving beyond its early stages toward widespread adoption.
