Innovation remains a key differentiator in the increasingly competitive reality capture market, where end users are looking for solutions that address evolving project requirements and workflow challenges. With the launch of its latest laser scanning solutions, Rovi i.1, Focus i.1, and Focus i.1 X, alongside the introduction to a new subscription model to access software, FARO INSIGHT is aiming to respond directly to customer feedback and industry demands.
In this Q&A, Tobias Bohret, Director of Product Solutions at FARO INSIGHT, discusses the thinking behind the latest products and the added benefits they bring to the company’s customers.
- What customer needs or expectations influenced the development of these new solutions?
- So, would you say connectivity was the most important priority during the development of these products? It was a major priority. Customers don’t experience capture, processing, and delivery as separate tasks. They experience it as one workflow, so that’s how we approached development.
- The company has shifted to a subscription style model for software. What does that include, and was this something your customers were asking for?
- How does Rovi i.1 and the software package help customers improve reality capture workflows?
- How does Focus i.1 help customers work more efficiently in terrestrial laser scanning workflows?
- How do these products help teams turn captured data into faster decisions and scale reality capture across more projects or users?
- What should customers ultimately take away from the launch of Rovi i.1, Focus i.1, and Focus i.1 X?
What we consistently heard from customers was that capturing good data was only part of the challenge. They wanted a more connected workflow that made it easier to move from capture to useful information, without unnecessary delays along the way.
That has influenced how we think about Rovi, Focus, and our software and subscriptions as a connected workflow, rather than individual products. It’s about giving customers different ways to capture the data they need, while making it easier to turn that data into insight they can use.
Capturing data faster only goes so far if teams then lose time processing information, resolving registration issues, or preparing deliverables. By connecting those stages more effectively, we can help customers reduce rework, keep projects moving, and have greater confidence in the information they collect.
Cost also matters. As IT and infrastructure expenses increase, customers need practical ways to manage resources while making project information accessible to the people who need it. Cloud-enabled workflows and collaboration tools are an important part of that approach.
Yes, customers have been looking for greater flexibility in how they access software, manage costs, and collaborate. Our subscription offerings combine a Sphere XG account with one or more SCENE software licenses, bringing desktop-based data processing together with cloud-enabled collaboration, data sharing, and project management.
Different subscription terms allow customers to choose an arrangement that suits their business and project requirements rather than relying solely on large upfront software investments. Selected multi-year packages also include Rovi i.1, bringing the scanner, software, and cloud services together in a single offering. The aim is to give customers greater flexibility in how they access the tools they need.
Rovi i.1 is designed to make everyday reality capture more accessible, including for users who may not have extensive scanning experience. Its straightforward operation and integration with the Stream App help teams document environments quickly and consistently, without requiring the same level of expertise as more specialized scanning workflows.
What happens after capturing is equally important. Data is uploaded to Sphere XG for automatic processing, and the resulting information can be shared through a link. Recipients can view it in a web browser without installing specialized software. This makes it easier for colleagues, customers, and other stakeholders to access project information, even if they are not directly involved in capturing or processing the data.
For terrestrial laser scanning customers, efficiency depends on collecting usable data and avoiding problems that lead to additional work later. Focus i.1 addresses this through improved scanning productivity and sensor performance, including better capture on dark and low-reflectivity surfaces. Its Flash Technology delivers the fastest color scanning experience in our portfolio, while Localizer supports geo-referencing, point cloud creation, and scan registration as users work. By helping customers connect and validate scans during a project, Localizer can reduce registration issues and the risk of rework, making it easier to move from field capture toward complete, reliable deliverables.
The value of captured data depends on how quickly people can access it and put it to use. Connecting field capture with cloud-based processing helps reduce delays, while browser-based sharing makes project information available to a wider group of stakeholders. Project managers, engineers, customers, and decision-makers can review data without needing specialized scanning software themselves.
We also support integration with partner applications, allowing customers to bring captured information into downstream modeling, design, and engineering processes. This helps make reality capture useful beyond the initial survey or scan, giving more people across an organization the opportunity to work with the data and apply it to their projects.
We want customers to have the flexibility to choose the right capture solution for their needs without losing sight of what comes next. Whether they need a handheld solution for everyday documentation or terrestrial laser scanning for projects with demanding data quality requirements, our goal is to help them collect reliable information and use it with confidence. Combined with our software and cloud services, these products support a more connected approach to reality capture, where the focus extends beyond collecting data to making it useful throughout the project lifecycle.