Leica Geosystems/Hexagon
Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, has announced the upcoming release of the Leica BLK2GO PULSE. The BLK2GO PULSE is a first-person laser scanner that combines LiDAR sensor technology with the original Leica BLK2GO form factor, and can be controlled from the users smartphone.
The BLK2GO PULSE was created in collaboration with Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation, a leader in image sensors. Leica says that the scanner is the world’s first dual Time-of-Flight (ToF) handheld scanner, and that this was achieved by fusing Son’s ToF image sensors with Leica’s GrandSLAM technology.
The BLK2GO PULSE, planned for release in early 2024 according to the company, is primarily used or indoor applications such as the creation of 3D digital twins and 2D floor plans.
Additional features of the scanner include first person scanning, with colourised 3D data streamed in real time to the smartphone screen. The scanner also ‘immediately’ views and shares colourised 3D point clouds and images from the field giving instant data availability.
Leica says with a smartphone attached to the scanner, users can access an end-to-end reality capture workflow in the BLK Live app. In-app notifications provide real-time guidance to the user to ensure optimal scanning practices according to Leica.
The company says that with Reality Cloud Studio, scans can be uploaded form the field to the program, which is Hexagon’s cloud application for reality capture data visualisation, collaboration, and storage.
“With a fast end-to-end workflow that combines scanner and smartphone app into one reality capture solution, users will benefit from an easy, intuitive user experience and the delivery of complete data instantly,” said Juergen Mayer, President Reality Capture at Leica Geosystems. “The BLK2GO PULSE furthers our mission to democratise reality capture, and along with Hexagon’s most recent innovations such as Reality Cloud Studio, powered by HxDR, we continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in digital reality with even more disruptive products.”