FAQ

FAQ's around MultiSet Developer platform

General

Q: What does MultiSet AI provide? A: MultiSet AI is an enterprise spatial computing platform that gives phones, headsets, glasses, and robots precise 6-DoF localization in the real world. It powers navigation, inspection, training, and digital-twin overlays across indoor and outdoor sites.

Q: How is MultiSet different from other VPS or AR toolkits? A: MultiSet is scan-agnostic and cross-platform: bring data from any supported scanner and deploy to iOS, Android, headsets, browsers, or robots. There is no vendor lock-in and no proprietary hardware requirement.

Q: Is MultiSet built on Google Cloud Anchors or Apple World Map? A: No. MultiSet built its VPS from the ground up, which is what lets it scale to very large spaces and stay agnostic to device form factor and platform.

Q: Which devices are supported? A: Any modern phone, tablet, AR headset, or robot with a standard RGB camera. LiDAR adds accuracy when scanning but is not required for localization.

Q: What SDKs are available? A: Unity, native iOS, native Android, WebXR, and Meta Quest, plus sample apps for Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses. Anything else, including robotics, integrates directly against the REST API.

Q: How do I get started? A: Follow Getting Started: create an account, scan or upload a space, then pick an SDK. Most teams localize their first device the same day.

Q: What are the costs of using MultiSet? A: A free tier supports prototyping. Production pricing scales by maps, cumulative area, and API calls, with custom SLAs available for private deployments.

3D Mapping

Q: How can I map a space? A: Scan with the MultiSet app on a LiDAR-equipped iPhone or iPad, or upload an existing third-party scan. See Maps.

Q: Can I map with an Android device? A: No. Scanning requires the LiDAR sensor on an iPhone or iPad. The Android app is for testing localization, setting up a content space, and geo-referencing existing maps.

Q: What scan formats does MultiSet accept? A: Structured .e57 with panoramas (Matterport, Leica, NavVis, Faro, Xgrids), Matterport MatterPak, Gaussian Splat (.ply plus poses.json), and 360 video: raw .insv from Insta360 X4/X5 and the Antigravity A1 drone, or a stitched equirectangular .mp4 from any other 360 camera. See Third Party Scans.

Q: My scanner is not on the supported list. Will it work? A: Usually yes, as long as the .e57 is structured the same way, with the point cloud and its panoramic images embedded. Pick the closest provider at upload and the backend detects the structure.

Q: How does MapSet enable large-scale coverage? A: A MapSet joins many smaller maps into one coordinate frame so a large venue behaves as a single seamless space. Each map keeps its own detail while the set holds the relative transforms. See MapSet.

Q: How much overlap should adjacent maps have? A: For automatic overlap-based merging, aim for 5 to 10 meters or roughly 15 to 20% shared area. Overlap is not mandatory: maps without it can be merged manually in the app or the portal.

Q: Can I update one area without re-mapping the whole venue? A: Yes, with Map Versioning. Rescan just the changed zone, add it as a version of that map, and activate it. The rest of the map keeps serving queries unchanged.

Q: Does my AR content need to be re-authored after a rescan? A: No. Content stays authored against the base map's coordinate frame, and MultiSet computes the transform to each new version automatically, even when the new scan uses a different coordinate system.

Q: What is the difference between a MapSet and a Map Version? A: A MapSet groups maps covering different physical areas, making a space bigger. A Map Version groups scans of the same area captured at different times, making a space newer.

Q: How do I geo-reference a map? A: Three ways: automatically from the app by localizing at well-spread points, manually by aligning the scan over satellite imagery, or automatically on upload if your .e57 is already geo-referenced. See Georeferencing Maps.

Q: Can I export maps to other spatial tools? A: Yes. Maps can be downloaded as raw or textured GLB files for use in BIM, game engines, or analytics platforms.

Visual Positioning System (VPS)

Q: What is VPS and why do enterprises need it? A: A VPS gives a device its precise 6-DoF position and orientation so AR content aligns exactly to physical assets, indoors and at scale where GPS, Wi-Fi, and beacons fall short. Robots use it to navigate, and smart glasses use it to anchor hands-free instructions.

Q: How accurate is the VPS? A: MultiSet delivers centimeter-level localization, with a median positional error of about 6 cm in well-mapped spaces. Accuracy depends on scan quality, coverage density, and how much the space has changed since capture.

Q: What is the difference between a single frame and a multi frame query? A: A single frame query sends one image and returns a pose in about 2 seconds. A multi frame query sends 4 to 6 images plus tracking pose for a more robust result in up to about 5 seconds. See Localization.

Q: Can I speed up localization with GPS or a known position? A: Yes. Hints narrow the search before matching begins: hintPosition and hintRadius for a known point, geoHint for GPS, hintFloorHeight for a floor band, and hintMapCodes to limit which maps in a MapSet are searched.

Q: How does MultiSet handle lighting and environmental changes? A: The neural networks behind the VPS are trained across diverse lighting and dynamic scenes, so localization stays robust through typical lighting shifts, minor rearrangement, and people moving through frame.

Q: Can I run localization offline, without a network call? A: Yes, with On-Device Localization, an Enterprise feature for iOS and Android. Map bundles are cached locally, so after a one-time online verification the device localizes with no internet.

Q: Can I test a map without going back to the site? A: Yes. Capture simulation data once at the location, then replay it against any map in the Developer Portal or in the Unity Editor to compare query types and inspect the returned pose.

Q: Does MultiSet work indoors, outdoors, and across multiple floors? A: Yes. Maps can span factory floors, loading docks, and outdoor areas, and multi-floor venues are handled with MapSets plus floor-level hints.

Q: Does MultiSet support indoor navigation and wayfinding? A: Yes. The Unity SDK combines VPS localization with Unity NavMesh for turn-by-turn pathing, and MapSets keep a single coordinate frame across a multi-floor facility.

Q: Are there VPS limitations I should know about? A: Vision-based localization can struggle after drastic structural change, in feature-poor or heavily reflective areas, and in the dark. Plan periodic map refreshes through Map Versioning for spaces that change often.

Q: Can I deploy without an app install? A: Yes. The WebXR SDK runs AR in the browser with no install, using Three.js or Needle Engine.

Object Tracking

Q: What does "markerless object tracking" mean? A: No stickers, QR codes, or fiducials are needed. The system uses the object's own geometry and texture to recognize and track it in 3D.

Q: How does Object Tracking work? A: You upload a textured 3D model, and the cloud builds an optimized tracking map from its geometry and texture. The SDK then detects the object and maintains its pose locally for low-latency AR.

Q: Does Object Tracking need a map? A: No. It runs with or without a VPS map, in the same session or a separate one, so you can localize in a building and track a machine inside it, or track the object on its own.

Q: Which file formats are supported? A: .glb only. The Developer Portal accepts the file directly, while the REST API expects it packaged in a .zip. CAD and raw scans must be converted to a textured polygonal mesh first.

Q: What are the model requirements? A: Real-world metric scale (1 unit equals 1 meter), +Y up axis, a rigid non-deforming object, and a diffuse texture map. Untextured or single-color models are rejected.

Q: What are the size limits? A: The object should be between 1 and 50 feet on its longest dimension, and the model file should stay under 50 MB. See How to Setup Object Tracking.

Q: Which objects track best? A: Asymmetrical objects with rich visual detail such as logos, panels, and varied geometry. Highly symmetrical, featureless, or mirror-finish items are the hardest.

Q: Can it track moving or deformable objects? A: No. Object Tracking is designed for static, rigid objects. The camera can move freely around the object, but the object itself must stay put.

Q: What is the difference between 360 View and Side View? A: 360 View recognizes the object from any angle and is the default. Side View optimizes for objects viewed mainly from the sides and processes slightly faster.

Q: How long does object processing take? A: Typically under 10 minutes, depending on the complexity of the model.

Integration & Deployment

Q: How do I authenticate? A: Create a Client ID and Secret in the Developer Portal, exchange them for a JWT bearer token valid for 30 minutes, and send it with every request. See Authentication.

Q: Can I use MultiSet from a browser? A: Yes, but never embed your Client Secret client-side. Whitelist your domain for CORS and mint short-lived tokens from your own backend.

Q: Can my scan data stay on our own infrastructure? A: Yes. MultiSet offers managed dedicated hosting for Enterprise customers, a single-tenant deployment on dedicated infrastructure that our team provisions, runs, and keeps updated, so your scan data is never processed on shared servers. See Support to discuss requirements.

Q: Can I deploy fully offline? A: Yes. On-device localization keeps map bundles and the license token cached locally, so after first-run verification the app needs no network at all, which suits air-gapped sites.

Q: How secure is my mapping data? A: Data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and the platform enforces strict per-account isolation with scoped API credentials. Managed dedicated hosting is available for stricter governance requirements.

Q: Does MultiSet support robotics and headsets? A: Yes. Headsets are covered by the Meta Quest SDK and the Meta Ray-Ban wearable samples. Robotics integrates through the REST API, which returns the same pose the SDKs consume.