Hexagon acquires digital twin company LocLab

Acquisition designed to add ‘speed, scalability and automation’ to digital twin creation

Hexagon has acquired LocLab, a German company that uses proprietary workflow technology and AI-based object recognition to help automate the creation of reality models for digital twin applications.

LocLab’s in-house developed ‘toolchain’ can utilise several data input formats with a view to balancing speed, cost and accuracy. This includes terrestrial videogrammetry, survey data and point clouds, although the company states that photographs or videos are only required at a minimum.

When creating 3D models of buildings and infrastructure assets, the AI software compares detected objects with LocLab’s object library of 3D elements (street objects, building components, rail equipment, etc.) to semi-automate the creation of a ‘semantically enriched’ 3D model (i.e. adding context and descriptive elements).

“We continue to advance the utility and potential of the digital twin. We call it the Smart Digital Reality,” says Hexagon president and CEO Ola Rollén. “Like any digital twin, it provides an intuitive 3D hub for data management and information. But it has traits not always associated with digital twins: it’s data-rich, kept up to date in real-time, and workflow-driven, making it seamlessly accessible. And most importantly, it’s autonomously intelligent, meaning it can implement physical world actions independent of human intervention.”

“The foundation of any smart digital reality is the underlying 3D model. If not already part of one of our solutions or readily available via our content program, it can be time and resource-intensive to create,” continued Rollén. “LocLab’s semi-automated modelling process with AI-based object recognition from video data and its enormous library of 3D digital content offers tremendous time savings and cost efficiencies.”

“The integration of LocLab’s 3D digital content with HxDR, our cloud-based storage, visualisation, and collaboration platform, will drive HxDR’s expansion as a leading digital reality platform within transportation, construction, urban planning, and many other industries,” continued Rollén. “Altogether, LocLab’s capabilities nicely complement our leading reality capture and software portfolio while also offering LocLab global scalability opportunities through our expansive sales and partner network.”

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