On May 9th, 2023, we celebrated our 10 year anniversary here at iGUIDE, marking a significant milestone highlighting how far we’ve come and the value we continue to bring to our customers across the globe. 

A decade ago, we launched iGUIDE (short for Interactive Property Guide), enabling users to capture a property and receive a digital twin with an accurate and detailed floor plan alongside an immersive 3D tour. It was a gamer-changer and transformed the way people and organizations scanned and documented spaces.

How it all got started… 

Before co-founders Alex Likholyot and Kevin Klages officially launched iGUIDE, they began working on the technology in 2008. This came as a result of Alex discovering the need for accurate virtual floor plans after an unpleasant experience when he wasted time out of his day seeing a home in person, only to immediately realize the floor layout wasn’t going to work.  

In May of 2013, after years of testing and various prototypes, we launched the iGUIDE technology and began targeting local real estate agents in the Kitchener-Waterloo area (just outside of Toronto, Canada).

 An iGUIDE in 2013

planitar

By the spring of 2015, with over 2,000 iGUIDEs produced, we transitioned our business model from a direct service provider for real estate agents to a technology provider, selling iGUIDE cameras to photographers in a growing number of areas while providing drafting and hosting services for iGUIDEs produced by those cameras.

The evolution of our camera systems

Each iGUIDE starts by scanning the property with the iGUIDE Camera System. Over the years, we’ve continued to bring the best systems to market. Our latest camera system, the PLANIX Pro, launched in 2021 and leverages a combination of a 360° camera and lidar to capture an accurate representation of the space. A 3,000 ft² property can be captured in just 15 minutes!

cameras

IMS-1 (2008)

  • Useful prototype in developing the draft software and tour viewer
  • 2-megapixel Logitech webcam with red line laser to project horizontal lines on walls
  • Limited vertical field of view with 6 positions required to capture panoramic images
Camera part - ims

IMS-2 (2009)

  • Canon Rebel DSLR
  • Parabolic mirror to take a panoramic image in one shot
  • Green spinning laser projected a horizontal line on walls
  • Measurement range of 6 meters
ims-3 camera

IMS-3 (2010)

  • Fisheye lens on a Canon Rebel T3 DSLR with 2-3 red line lasers
  • Tethered to a Windows tablet via a USB cable
  • Measurement range of 6 meters
ims4 camera

IMS-4 (2014)

  • Industrial re-design of IMS-3
  • Machined frame components and printed circuit boards
  • Required a periodic infield accuracy check/calibration procedure
ims5-new camera

IMS-5 (2016)

  • 18-megapixel Canon Rebel DSLR camera with a time-of-flight lidar
  • Tetherless operation, controlled over WiFi via a web browser from a mobile device
  • Measurement range of 10 meters
planix 1

PLANIX – IMS-6 (2021)

  • Ricoh Theta Z1 360° camera
  • Lidar with 360° scan angle
  • Measurement range of 40 meters

The value iGUIDE is delivering today

Today, we’re focused on providing the best technology for metrologic and visual documentation of spaces. Organizations across a variety of verticals continue to choose iGUIDE to make informed decisions faster, increase their productivity, drive business efficiencies and grow their bottom line. 

An iGUIDE in 2023

iguide 2023

Through our reliable property information and immersive 3D tours, in 2022 iGUIDE market share (in reference to homes sold) reached 20% in Canada and 40% in the province of Alberta. As we look ahead, new features like iGUIDE Preview, Real Time Tagging and DWG Floor Plans will only add to the value iGUIDE delivers.

Originally created to address needs in residential real estate for a fast and simple solution to capture reliable floor plans for remote viewing, iGUIDE has done that plus more. Now, as we continue on as an industry leader and trusted name in accurate measurements and detailed documentation, iGUIDE assists organizations in insurance, restoration, architecture, engineering, design, construction and facilities management.

As of early 2023, Planitar has produced 400,000+ iGUIDEs and over 1+ billion ft² drafted in 40+ countries across the globe. We remain focused on providing the best technology to digitally understand and optimize a property and ultimately, drive improved workflows. 

To learn more about how iGUIDE can help you grow your business, visit: goiguide.com/camera-inquire.