Why do my scans look distorted, blob-like, or fail to process?

Distorted, blob-like, or failed scans are most commonly caused by the turntable being too close to a wall or other objects. The Styku scanner's depth sensor needs at least 14 inches of clear space on all sides of the turntable (18 inches recommended) to capture an accurate 3D image. Moving the scanner to an open area usually resolves the issue immediately.

What Goes Wrong

When walls, furniture, equipment, or other objects are too close to the turntable, the depth sensor picks them up as part of the scan. This causes the 3D model to appear:

Blob-like or formless
Cylindrical or tube-shaped instead of body-shaped
A second "ghost" body or duplicate figure appearing alongside the subject
Missing body parts (such as feet or arms)
Stuck processing or failing to complete

How to Fix It

Measure the clearance around your turntable. Using a tape measure, confirm there is at least 14 inches (18 recommended) of open space on every side of the turntable — front, back, left, and right.
Move the scanner if needed. If any wall, mirror, piece of equipment, or furniture is closer than 14 inches (18 recommended), relocate the turntable (and camera tower) to a more open area.
Remove nearby objects. Clear anything within the sensor's field of view — gym bags, chairs, equipment, or decorative items.
Check for reflective surfaces. Mirrors, glass walls, and polished floors can interfere with the depth sensor even if they are farther away. If possible, cover or reposition the scanner away from these surfaces.
Check your lighting. Avoid direct sunlight or bright overhead lights aimed at the scanning area. The scanner works best with consistent, diffuse indoor lighting and no daylight exposure.
Run a test scan. Once the area is clear, perform a new scan and check whether the 3D model looks correct.

What a Good Scanning Environment Looks Like

Background: A plain, matte wall (ideally grey) directly behind the person being scanned
No objects between the camera tower and the person being scanned
No mirrors or glass in the scanning area
No direct sunlight entering the room during scans
Camera tower and turntable connected to the laptop and positioned according to the setup guide

Still Seeing Distorted Scans After Adjusting?

If you have confirmed the clearance is correct and scans are still distorted, there may be another environmental factor involved, such as strong ambient light or a reflective surface that is harder to identify. Review the full environment and setup guide in your Styku Business Portal for additional guidance.

Note that for a scan to be viewable in the Styku mobile app, it must be successfully uploaded to the cloud from the scanning location's computer. If a scan fails to process or appears distorted, it may be archived automatically. Clients can find archived scans by going to Account > Review Scans in the mobile app. It may also take up to 15–20 minutes for scan results to appear in the app after scanning completes, depending on network conditions.

If this resolves your issue, no further action is needed.

If the problem persists, contact support and include: a photo or short video of your current scanner setup (showing the turntable and surrounding space from above or the side), a description of what the distorted scan looks like (blob, cylinder, missing body parts, etc.), and whether the issue happens on every scan or only sometimes.

Applies to: All Styku configurations

Related Resources

Viewing and Troubleshooting Your Scans in the Styku Mobile App