Graphisoft, of Hungary, the maker of ArchiCAD, has announced Graphisoft BIMx, a new Apple iOS application for iPad and iPhone. The BIM leader says BIMx is the ultimate communication and presentation tool for BIM project and it will be available for iOS devices very soon.
iPad and Facebook Integration
BIMx is a native iOS application and ideally runs on an iPad from which architects, engineers and contractors can interactively engage in a sophisticated BIM model. It features game-like navigation, whereby anyone can explore full BIM models without holding a license of the professional authoring software in which the building model was originally created.
01 - Graphisoft BIMx, a new Apple iOS app running here on an iPad. The application runs incredibly smoothly and features nice gesture integration.
ArchiCAD users have been able to publish self-running BIMx models for their clients to run on their desktops (on Mac and Windows)–now BIMx models are making their debut on the popular Apple iOS platform.
BIMx has Facebook integration and social connectivity. Users will be able to host their BIM models on a purpose-built cloud site backed by Microsoft Azure and Facebook technology. “Demand for access to BIM projects off-site, or even off-line on mobile devices has been increasing in recent years,” says Miklos Szovenyi-Lux, Vice President of Product Management at Graphisoft. “At the same time, BIM models are large, complex, and highly-integrated databases that have been difficult to port to handheld devices with satisfactory results.”
02 - Graphisoft BIMx. Will be the first BIM application with Facebook, cloud and iPad integration.
Graphisoft is significantly extending the reach of BIM model information to the BIM community with BIMx and its cloud-driven Facebook community site. “With the introduction of BIMx for the iPad/iPhone, we have signficantly extended the reach of BIM’s benefits beyond building professionals to their clients–the building owners,” says Miklos Szovenyi-Lux.
Key Features
- Real-Time 3D navigation
- stereo, shaded and hidden line rendering/view modes
- enhanced with gravity
- fly-mode
- egress recognition (ER)
- ‘tap to go through door’ mode
- ‘tap to go there’ mode
The integrated BIMx community on Facebook is the central hub for sharing interactive content. There are YouTube videos of BIMx in action on iPads for your viewing there. The site says that there are 12 days and counting to go before the hub opens.