Measure an obstacle with iPhone Pro LiDAR

Q: Can all iPhones use Lumyeye Pro LiDAR?

No. Only iPhone Pro and Pro Max (iPhone 12 Pro and later) include the LiDAR sensor. On a standard iPhone (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 non-Pro), Lumyeye Pro announces aloud that the measurement is not available. The other app features remain usable on all iOS 17.6+ iPhones.

Q: Does LiDAR work in the dark?

Yes. LiDAR projects an invisible infrared beam independent of ambient light. Distance measurement remains reliable in a dark room, a dimly lit hallway or at night.

Q: How do I stop the beep mode?

Double tap anywhere on the iPhone screen. Lumyeye Pro confirms exiting the mode and restarts the app camera for other requests. Stopping the beep mode by dedicated voice command is not yet available.

Q: Does LiDAR replace a white cane or guide dog?

No. Lumyeye Pro measures the distance of a solid obstacle in front of the iPhone rear camera, but does not detect obstacles on the ground (sidewalk, step, root), nor what is on the sides. LiDAR is a complement to your usual mobility tools, not a replacement. It also doesn't identify the nature of the obstacle; for that, ask a follow-up question ('what do you see?') which will activate the AI visual analysis.

Lumyeye Pro uses the iPhone Pro LiDAR scanner to measure the distance of an obstacle in front of you. Two modes: a voice point measurement, or approach beeps whose rhythm accelerates as the obstacle gets closer. iPhone 12 Pro and later required.

How does Lumyeye Pro use LiDAR to measure an obstacle?

Published May 2026 · Rated 4.5/5 by 918 users on the App Store

Available voice commands: "how far is the obstacle in front of me?" · "start the beeps" · "launch the distance detector"

Mode 1 — point measurement. You ask "how far is the obstacle in front of me?" and Lumyeye Pro answers aloud, for example "Obstacle in front of you about 40 centimeters". The measurement uses the depth median read by ARKit sceneDepth at the center of the camera field of view. Working range: from 5 centimeters to about 6 meters. Accuracy: rounded to the centimeter below one meter, to the nearest 5 cm above.

Mode 2 — continuous approach beeps. You say "start the beeps", Lumyeye Pro confirms "LiDAR beep mode active. Double tap to stop", then emits a short beep (880 Hz, 60 ms) whose rhythm accelerates as the obstacle gets closer. At 2 meters, one beep every 1.15 seconds. At 1 meter, two beeps per second. At 25 centimeters, about 10 beeps per second. Below 6 centimeters, the beep becomes near-continuous. Above 2 meters, Lumyeye Pro stays silent: the zone is judged comfortable. Stopping is done by double-tap on the screen.

Hardware required and privacy. LiDAR is a physical sensor present only on iPhone Pro and Pro Max (iPhone 12 Pro and later). On a standard iPhone, Lumyeye Pro announces aloud that the measurement is not available. LiDAR works equally well in daylight and in darkness, because it uses invisible infrared light. The measurement happens locally on the iPhone, no LiDAR data is sent to Lumyeye servers.

Limits to know. LiDAR mode requires exclusive camera use. If Vision Live is already active, Lumyeye Pro refuses to start LiDAR and announces it aloud. LiDAR measures the distance of a solid obstacle in front of the camera; it does not replace a white cane, and does not identify the nature of the obstacle (wall, person, furniture). To identify the object, ask a follow-up question ("what do you see?") which will activate the AI visual analysis. From $16.99/month on iOS 17.6+.

Frequently asked questions

Hardware, beeps, safety — your questions.

Can all iPhones use Lumyeye Pro LiDAR?

No. Only iPhone Pro and Pro Max (iPhone 12 Pro and later) include the LiDAR sensor. On a standard iPhone (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 non-Pro), Lumyeye Pro announces aloud that the measurement is not available. The other app features remain usable on all iOS 17.6+ iPhones.

Does LiDAR work in the dark?

Yes. LiDAR projects an invisible infrared beam independent of ambient light. Distance measurement remains reliable in a dark room, a dimly lit hallway or at night.

What distance does each beep rhythm correspond to?

At 2 meters, about one beep every 1.15 seconds. At 1 meter, one beep every 0.5 second. At 50 cm, about 4 beeps per second. At 25 cm, about 10 beeps per second. Below 6 cm, the beep is near-continuous. Above 2 meters, complete silence. The sound pitch stays at 880 Hz: it is the rhythm that changes, not the beep pitch.

How do I stop the beep mode?

Double tap anywhere on the iPhone screen. Lumyeye Pro confirms exiting the mode and restarts the app camera for other requests. Stopping the beep mode by dedicated voice command is not yet available.

Does LiDAR replace a white cane or guide dog?

No. Lumyeye Pro measures the distance of a solid obstacle in front of the iPhone rear camera, but does not detect obstacles on the ground (sidewalk, step, root), nor what is on the sides. LiDAR is a complement to your usual mobility tools, not a replacement. It also doesn't identify the nature of the obstacle; for that, ask a follow-up question ("what do you see?") which will activate the AI visual analysis.

Testimonial

Bruno, 58, Toulouse.

"I have retinitis pigmentosa and I lost peripheral vision six years ago. I used to bump into half-open doors, moved furniture, still people in a queue. My ophthalmologist mentioned the iPhone 15 Pro and Lumyeye Pro. Now, before crossing a room I don't know well, I start the beeps: as long as it's slow, I walk; when it speeds up, I reach out my hand. It's not a GPS for blind people, it's an ear that sees what's right in front of me. I still keep my cane."
— Bruno, 58, Toulouse, retinitis pigmentosa

Practical tips

Master Lumyeye Pro LiDAR.

Hold the iPhone facing the obstacle, at chest height. The LiDAR sensor is on the back of the iPhone Pro, next to the photo lenses. Point the back of the phone at what you want to measure, screen facing you. At chest height, you measure what is in front of you at human height, without having to raise or lower your arm.
Ask for a point measurement before a long beep mode. To locate a piece of furniture in an unknown room, first say "how far is the obstacle?": the single voice answer avoids holding the phone out for minutes in beep mode. Beep mode becomes useful for slow movements (walking along a hallway, approaching a door).
Combine LiDAR with visual description. LiDAR measures distance but doesn't identify the object. To know what's in front of you, ask a follow-up question: "what do you see?". Lumyeye Pro then switches to AI visual analysis and describes the scene based on the camera image.
Get familiar with rhythms in a known environment first. Learn to recognize 2-meter, 1-meter and 30-centimeter distances by ear in your home (hallway, kitchen, living room) before using it outside. With practice, you'll distinguish rhythms without having to calculate them.
Stop the beep mode before other requests. As long as beeps are active, Lumyeye Pro keeps the camera in exclusive LiDAR mode. To go back to a photo question, a letter reading or Vision Live, double tap first to close the beep mode. Lumyeye Pro then confirms the return to normal mode.

Similar demos.

Try Lumyeye Pro.

Lumyeye Pro on iOS 17.6+ (LiDAR required: iPhone 12 Pro and later), from $16.99/month. Free trial, no credit card.