1. Overview
2. Procedure
3. How to shoot for a beautiful staging
4. Frequently Asked Questions
5. Caution

1. Overview

Specifications

AI Staging is a fully automated service that uses Ricoh's AI technology to place Computer Generated (CG) furniture and accessories on 360° images in vacant rooms for real estate properties. Up to four image patterns are generated per image, from which images can be selected and reflected in the tour.
The CG furniture is placed according to the type of the target room. The room types that can be selected and the CG furniture that will be placed are as follows:

(*)May not be placed in some cases

Finished image

https://view.ricoh360.com/abd92a78-59aa-4153-9102-173b0c797bee?type=compact

Generation time

The time for AI staging to be generated is between 10 and 60 minutes.

Usage Plans

The number of images that can be imported for AI staging varies depending on your plan.
The Free plan allows up to 10 images, the Pro plan allows up to 20 images per month, and the Business plan allows 100 images per month.

2. Procedure

1. Log in to the management console for RICOH360 Tours at app.ricoh360.com
2. Select the tour you want to perform AI staging on
3. Click the and click AI virtual staging
4. Select the image(s) you want to perform AI virtual staging on and click Select.
5. Select the Room type for each and click Execute.
   
   
6. After virtual staging is complete, an email will be sent to the email address registered in RICOH360 Tours.
7. The email title is "Your AI Virtual Staging images are ready."
   
8. To see the staged images, in the email, click on the link: "Click here within 7 days to import AI Virtual Staging images into your tour." 
9. Selecting your images
   Up to four images of a pattern will be created per image. Select your favorite image from these, and click Confirm → Import to Tour.
   The remaining number of AI staged images for your account type will not be decreased at the time it is generated, but will be decreased when you click on Import to Tour. The remaining number of AI staged images available for the month will be displayed in the lower right corner of the screenbelow as well as when you select the AI Staging feature within the management console.
   
   
   
10. The AI-staged image will be imported into your Virtual Tour.
    Images with AI staging are marked with
    

3. How to shoot for beautiful staging

The following cameras, tripods, locations, and settings are recommended for capturing 360° images for use in AI staging.

Camera

• RICOH THETA S (released in 2015) and later models

Tripod

Use of a genuine RICOH stand is recommended.

• It is recommended to use the stand dedicated for RICOH THETA.

Points to consider when taking your photos

• The tripod should not be tilted.
• The tripod must not be bent.
• The height of the camera should be placed around the center of the ceiling and floor of the room.(For example, if the ceiling height is 250cm (8ft), the recommended installation height of the camera is 120cm-130cm (4ft).

Location of the camera

In the center of each room (for example, the red circle in the floor plan below is the recommended location)

4. FAQ

Q: Can I stage images other than 360 degree panoramic images?
A: No, you cannot. We do not offer content generation for regular photos (still photos).

Q：Can I stage images other than empty rooms (images with furniture already in place)?
A: No, you cannot. Only empty rooms can be staged.

Q: Will I always receive multiple staging images for a single empty room image?
A: No, multiple staging images will not always be generated. The number of placement patterns will vary depending on the image.

Q: Is the CG furniture real furniture?
A: Basically, it is imaginary furniture that does not exist. However, we may use furniture from some furniture manufacturers in the future.

Q: What are the sizes of CG furniture?
A: We do not control the size of the furniture. It is only an image, so please look at it as a reference for the staged room.

Q: Can I specify the furniture?
A: No, you cannot. The content, color, and design of the furniture is left up to us.

Q: How do you count the number of images that can be imported?
A: Each generated AI staging image is counted once.

Q: Can I change the generated images?
A: We do not support changes to the content or placement of furniture and accessories.

Q：Isn't there a concern that I will be misled if the actual property is not furnished?
A：The images with CG furniture are displayed with a message stating that "the furniture and accessories shown in the images are CG images and differ from the current state. (In Japan, this has been confirmed by the Federation of Real Estate Fair Trade Councils).

Q: CG furniture is not placed properly.
A: Please be aware that the furniture placement is automatic by AI and this is a beta service, so it may not always be as you expect. If you use a tripod and adjust the position of the lens so that it is between the height of the ceiling and the floor, you may be able to get a good placement, but please understand that this is not guaranteed.　However, please note that this is not always guaranteed. (For a typical ceiling height, shoot at a height of 120-130cm (8 ft)).

Q: Can I simulate the furniture by myself?
A: This is not a service that allows you to simulate the furniture by yourself. This service does not allow you to simulate the furniture yourself, but we will generate the image content by placing CG furniture and accessories on the 360° image.

Q: What are the requirements for the images that can be used?
A: The images must meet the following conditions.

• Camera
  
  • RICOH THETA S, RICOH THETA SC, RICOH THETA SC2, RICOH THETA V，RICOH THETA Z1
• Image format
  
  • JPEG in Equirectangular format
• Image capacity
  
  • Up to 20 MB
• Image size: Only the following sizes (width x height) are supported
  
  • Only 2:1 (horizontal:vertical) is supported.
  • However, the maximum size is 6,720 x 3,360

5. Caution

Please be aware that the following may occur with this service.

• If the staging image is not produced, we will contact you by e-mail.
• Once an image has been AI staged and imported into a tour, deleting the image or the tour will not restore the staging count.
• The staging may not meet your expectations.
  Example.
  • The furniture looks like it is floating.
  • The furniture looks like it is stuck in the wall.
  • Furniture is arranged in a layout that makes it difficult to live in.
  • Only one houseplant and no other furniture.
  • Furniture is too large or the viewpoint is too low and looks unnatural (the height of the camera has an effect on this. (Please refer to the recommended shooting settings.