Lowe’s to launch beta version of mobile room-scanning tool
A home improvement giant will soon offer what it calls a “spatial commerce” experience on its iOS app.
Lowes Companies Inc. plans to roll out the beta version of an end-to-end room scanning, measurement and estimate tool called “Measure Your Space” to users of its iOS app by early 2022. Customers will be able to leverage the feature by pressing the Measure Your Space button on the product detail page of select flooring products in the Lowe's iOS app.
The app will then guide customers to scan a room, automatically generating a floor plan, room measurements and a personalized estimate. They will be able to have access to this information in their app from any location, including at home and in the store.
iPhones and iPads with the LiDAR ((light detection and ranging) scanner use purpose-built sensors and software to sense depth and map dimensions of a space and the objects in it. Lowe's new tool will leverage this technology to get detailed room measurements.
Measure Your Space will start with flooring. Over time, Lowe’s intent is to expand the experience to include other features, such as the ability to visualize flooring changes in real-time, with the potential to incorporate other product categories and expand to additional smartphones and devices.
According to Lowe’s, Measure Your Space is an example of it broader vision for “spatial commerce,” a future omnichannel shopping environment where emerging technologies will put home data at customers' fingertips, making home improvement more accessible.
The Measure Your Space beta was developed by the company’s Lowe's Innovation Labs innovation hub and augmented reality (AR)/ artificial intelligence (AI) company Streem. This offering follows the June 2020 release of Lowe’s for Pros JobSight, an augmented video chat service based on Streem technology that allows plumbers, contractors and other professionals (“pros”) to conduct virtual home visits with customers.
"Home improvement can be complex, but at Lowe's, we're investing in emerging technologies like LiDAR, AI and mixed reality to make home improvement simple and intuitive," said Seemantini Godbole, Lowe's executive VP and CIO. "We see a future in which the devices customers already own can sense, understand and compile information about their home, putting it in their hands the moment they need it. We call this future spatial commerce, and we're excited to bring it to our customers."
"Lowe's and Streem together are applying the use of complex augmented reality tools to create a simple, user-friendly app experience with the unique ability to make DIYers' lives easier," said Ryan Fink, Streem president and co-founder. "This partnership is proving the value of spatial commerce today by using guided AR and AI experiences to empower consumers with the practical tools and data they need to dream, plan and accomplish home projects."
Measure Your Space will be available before the end of the first quarter of 2022 in the form of a commercial beta launch available to iPhone 12 Pro/Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro/Pro Max and iPad Pro users via the Lowe's iOS app.
Based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe's Companies Inc. and its related businesses operate or service more than 2,200 home improvement and hardware stores in the U.S. and Canada.