Tech Trends: A look into the latest dental and general technology on the market

Cloud-Based Virtual Tour Software

(Free and up to $15 per user per month, Lapentor)

Creating images for virtual tours is remarkably achievable now. With a tripod and a mobile phone, most people can take rudimentary 360-degree pictures and share them with others. Though achievable, sharing 360 pictures in this way removes the interactive element of virtual tours, which is a primary selling point. Many products have sprung up to organize, customize and host virtual tours, and Lapentor is among the few free, cloud-based, all-in-one solutions on the market today.

Based in Vietnam, Lapentor states on its website that it is a virtual tour “publishing service for all” with an emphasis on simplicity. Lapentor relies exclusively on a web interface, which means that users do not need to download or install any applications. In testing, Lapentor seemed to respond well to Chrome but had bugs — blank screens, missing customized elements — when Safari or Firefox were used in both content creation and viewing. The workflow is elegant in that it asks users to upload images, add interactive “hotspot” points and other customizations then deploy as a simple link or as an iFrame. The customization interface is written plainly and the objects are all drag-and-drop. It has three tiers of service: free, cloud-hosted and self-hosted. Each virtual tour is called a “project,” and the free tier limits users to sharing three projects at a time while the cloud-hosted tier allows for unlimited projects. The self-hosted tier allows more advanced users to make use of Lapentor’s webtools then download the entire project so they can deploy on their own servers. At $10 per project, those who are adept with virtual tours may find this price on the expensive side compared to competitors. For the private practitioner looking to start incorporating virtual tours into their online presence, Lapentor is an easy-to-use and affordable solution. For those already using this technology, Lapentor’s bugs in some browsers should be taken into consideration before moving platforms.

— Alexander Lee, DMD

AirTag

(Starting at $29, Apple)

AirTag is a great way to keep track of everyday items for those with an iPhone or iPad. The AirTag is a small, disc-shaped device that is slightly larger than a quarter in diameter and operates using Bluetooth to connect to any mobile device with iOS or iPadOS 14.5 or later. Accessories sold separately can be purchased to attach the AirTag to an item that needs tracking. It is powered through an installed user replaceable CR2032 coin battery, which lasts up to a year. Setup is extremely easy — users simply remove the packaging, which activates the battery, and place the AirTag near their iPhone or iPad. The AirTag is recognized immediately, and users are prompted to name and add it to their Apple ID account. Through the Items tab in the Find My app, users can see their AirTag location on a map. For AirTags that are not in proximity, the Find My network utilizes other Apple devices from around the world to anonymously track their location. Users can choose Play Sound in the app for AirTags in range to find their location through an audible sound.

For users with iPhone 11 or newer, users can activate Precision Finding in the app, which provides distance and direction to the missing AirTag in range using Ultra Wideband technology. Users can also place an AirTag in Lost Mode, which provides notifications whenever the item is found in the Find My network and allows for a custom message to be displayed when someone taps it on their NFC-enabled smartphone. Apple states that privacy measures have been built in to the Find My network. Devices that report AirTag locations are anonymous and encrypted. Any AirTag separated from its owner and following another iPhone for an unspecified period will trigger an alert and play a sound. Users can then locate the unknown AirTag and disable it following instructions displayed on their smartphone. AirTag location updates using the Find My network could take minutes or longer depending on its proximity to other iPhone or iPad devices. AirTag is water resistant and up to 16 can be linked to an Apple ID account.

— Hubert Chan, DDS