# 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


Tool	Best For	Use in Multi-Modal
Cuboid	Rectangular bodies, geometric shapes	Vehicle chassis, building facades
Polygon	Irregular outlines, complex contours	Roof racks, cargo attachments
Brush Sphere	Fine-detail refinement, terrain edges	Ground contact points, irregular surfaces

## 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.