NEWS: Z+F’s new ‘Blue Workflow’ registers point cloud data on the fly

Zoller + Fröhlich’s new 3D laser scanner, the Z+F IMAGER 5010X, is said to come with a unique navigation system which works both outdoors and indoors. This is made possible by GPS and MEMS-based inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors, combined with an automatic registration capability, which estimates the scanner position and orientation without any external targets. The scanner will also track the movements while carrying the device on to the next scanning position.

Things appear to get even more interesting when combining the Z+F IMAGER 5010X with the new Z+F LaserControl Scout Windows tablet software. This resulting so-called ‘Blue Workflow’ allows users to check data and target quality and register scans before leaving the site. If any gaps are found in the data users can then fill them in with more scans, helping ensure the point cloud dataset is complete.

As data registration and verification is traditionally done back in the office this could be a huge time saver by reducing the need for site re-visits.

Z+F LaserControl Scout software automatically synchronizes all scan data locally and, after registration, updates all scans on the scanner.

Data transfer between the Z+F LaserControl Scout software and Z+F IMAGER 5010X is carried out over high-speed WiFi (802.11n with dual antennas), which can move 200MB of data in 30 seconds.

Both devices can be used in parallel, which helps minimise time on site: the Scout software can register scans while the laser scanner captures new data.

The Z+F LaserControl Scout software runs on a Window 8 A5 or A7 core touch tablet with 8GB RAM.