Nov 17, 2016 | By Benedict
German company Leica Geosystems has unveiled the BLK360, an extremely compact entry-level 3D scanner for spherical imaging. The handheld scanner, developed in collaboration with 3D software specialist Autodesk, will retail for $16,000.
When Leica introduced its new BLK360 3D scanner yesterday at Autodesk University 2016, attendees simply could not believe the size of the device. At just 6.5 inches tall and four inches in diameter, and with just a single button on its housing, many were left wondering: how are you supposed to operate this mysterious machine? Fortunately, Leica experts were on hand to explain all.
With a smooth black finish, ultra-minimalist design, and glowing green ring circling its base, Leica’s new BLK360 looks more likely to show up on the dusty Earth of 2001: A Space Odyssey than the shelves of a technology store. That ultra-minimalist design, however, has a good explanation behind it. According to Leica, the new 3D scanner is designed to be controlled via iPad, taking excess hardware out of the scanner itself and leaving it to an external device.
The iPad functionality comes courtesy of Autodesk, whose ReCap 360 Pro Mobile edition will provide a controller for operating the BLK360. ReCap 360 will wirelessly register scans captured by the BLK360 in real time, with Autodesk cloud services enabling users to share or transfer data into Autodesk design software for meshing, generating 3D models, and performing other tasks with the collected data.
The BLK360 itself also boasts several remarkable features packed within its 2.2 lb body. Capable of capturing 360,000 points per second, the machine is very much a high-quality 3D scanner despite its user-friendly workflow and compact size. The scanner has a range of 60 meters and an accuracy of 4 mm, and offers several scanning methods, including infrared sensors for thermal imaging, as well as laser and visible light imaging. According to Leica, the scanner can capture a 360° scan in just three minutes, and is equipped for HDR and LED flash support.
Leica and Autodesk say that the new BLK360 3D scanner took over a year to develop, with Leica bringing in external developers to bring the product to its final state. The BLK360, due to be released in spring 2017 through Autodesk’s online distribution network, will cost $15,990, which includes a subscription to Autodesk’s ReCap 360 software package.
In February 2016, Leica unveiled its handheld LAS-20-8 3D scanner, a more familiarly shaped scanning unit designed for large-volume inspection applications. Autodesk’s ReCap 3D scanning software has existed since 2013.
Posted in 3D Scanning
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the blk360 is not a handheld scanner
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