# Combined Tools (Cuboid, 3D Polygons, 3D Polylines + 2D Drawables)

## Overview

The Multi-Modal Segmentation Tool is a new point cloud annotation capability that integrates three distinct segmentation methods - cuboid, polygon, and brush - into a single, unified workflow. Annotators can now apply the optimal tool for each geometric region of an object without switching contexts, losing progress, or accepting accuracy trade-offs.

Real-world objects are geometrically diverse. A vehicle has a rectangular body, an irregular roof rack, and ground-contact surfaces that each demand a different annotation approach. Until now, annotators were forced to pick one tool and compromise everywhere else - or spend excessive time applying the wrong method to each part.

## What's New

### Integrated Tool Switching

Annotators can now transition between cuboid, polygon, and brush modes within a single annotation session on the same point cloud object. No work is lost when switching modes, and all segments contribute to a unified output.

### Simultaneous Multi-Tool Operation

All three tools operate on the same point cloud simultaneously. Segments created by different tools are merged into a single, coherent annotated object, preserving geometric accuracy across every region.

### Contextual Tool Optimization

Each tool is designed for the annotation challenge it handles best. Cuboids provide fast, precise coverage of rectangular geometry. Polygons handle irregular outlines with accurate trace-based boundaries. Brush delivers pixel-level refinement for terrain contact and complex surface edges.

## Tool Reference

<table data-header-hidden><thead><tr><th valign="top"></th><th valign="top"></th><th valign="top"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td valign="top">Tool</td><td valign="top">Best For</td><td valign="top">Use in Multi-Modal</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">Cuboid</td><td valign="top">Rectangular bodies, geometric shapes</td><td valign="top">Vehicle chassis, building facades</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">Polygon</td><td valign="top">Irregular outlines, complex contours</td><td valign="top">Roof racks, cargo attachments</td></tr><tr><td valign="top">Brush Sphere</td><td valign="top">Fine-detail refinement, terrain edges</td><td valign="top">Ground contact points, irregular surfaces</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Example Workflow

The following illustrates how the three tools work together when annotating a construction vehicle:

**Step 1 - Brush:** Use the brush to refine ground-contact points, matching the annotation precisely to terrain.

**Step 2 - Polygon:** Switch to polygon mode and trace the irregular roof rack as a separate entity. Accurately captures non-rectangular contours.

**Step 3 - Cuboid:** Draw a cuboid around the vehicle's main rectangular body. Fast, precise, and ideal for geometric shapes.

The result is a fully segmented point cloud built with the optimal tool for each geometric challenge - completed in one continuous workflow, with no context switching.

## Why It Matters

As autonomous systems encounter increasingly diverse real-world objects - construction equipment, unusual vehicle configurations, complex urban structures - training data must capture geometric complexity accurately. Single-tool annotation workflows cannot keep pace with this diversity.

Multi-Modal Segmentation addresses this directly:

* Accuracy improves because each region is annotated with its geometrically appropriate method.
* Speed increases because annotators are no longer spending excessive time forcing the wrong tool onto a task.
* Workflow continuity is preserved - no saving, switching, or re-importing required between tool modes.
* Training data quality scales with object complexity, rather than being bottlenecked by it.

## Availability & Compatibility

**Availability:** This feature is generally available in the current platform release.

**Supported formats:** All standard point cloud formats currently supported by the annotation platform (pcd and las).

**Existing projects:** Fully compatible with existing annotation projects. No migration required.

**Access:** Available to all annotator roles. No additional permissions or feature flags required.


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