New real-time reality capture sensor by Leica Geosystems offers advanced sensor fusion technology for building management and surveillance

(HEERBRUGG, SWITZERLAND/LAS VEGAS, 13 JUNE 2019) - Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon, is showcasing the Leica BLK247, a real-time reality capture sensor for building security and operations, that was announced yesterday at HxGN LIVE. Part of the BLK product line, a collection of reality capture, scanning, and photogrammetry hardware and software, the BLK247 uses LiDAR, 3D digital fencing and continuous scanning to monitor buildings and spaces 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Drawing on the precision and speed of the BLK360, the world’s smallest imaging laser scanner, the BLK247 is an intelligent device that can alert appropriate staff of physical changes, expected or unexpected, within a space.

“The BLK247 provides professionals in security or building operations with a second line of defense that alerts them to unauthorised or abnormal activity as it’s happening. It’s ideal for protecting private and public spaces including airports, hospitals, schools, and museums, for example,” said Burkhard Boeckem, CTO Hexagon’s Geosystems division. “Its sensor fusion, based on LiDAR technology and additional multispectral visions systems, elevates situational awareness by alerting security professionals to changes in their environment as they’re happening, which brings a higher degree of security and safety to any space.”

Continuous monitoring, protection

The BLK247 builds 3D digital fences to protect valuable objects and creates digital barriers for spaces. Designed with situational awareness in mind, the BLK247 is capable of differentiating between still and moving objects and is ideal for locations that must be continuously monitored and protected. For example, an unattended bag at a busy airport can be quickly identified and security staff alerted, both visually and audibly, of its presence and location. The BLK247 can help reduce a security team’s reliance on staffed video surveillance and the requirement of reviewing clips after an incident has occurred.

“We understand that security professionals are often pushed to the limit in terms of situational awareness, and that it can be difficult to catch everything that may go wrong in a busy or sensitive environment,” said Carl-Thomas Schneider, Vice President Business Development Hexagon’s Geosystems division. “The BLK247 is designed specifically to help security and surveillance teams by providing a level of situational awareness that cannot be achieved through human eyes and ears alone. It will help create safer and more secure spaces worldwide, providing peace of mind for security professionals and the public alike.”