California-based people sensing platform Butlr Technologies has received additional funding from Qualcomm Ventures and is launching the next version of its patented Heatic wireless sensors, data and analytics.

While Butlr’s technology is incapable of collecting personal information, its API offers real time and historical data on a building’s indoor foot traffic, occupancy levels and activity. These insights are used for asset management, real estate investment planning and policy making in workplaces globally as well as senior care.

“There’s a growing demand for intelligence that provides accurate and real-time occupancy utilisation data to better support the hybrid work environment,” said Carlos Kokron, vice president at Qualcomm. “Butlr’s next-generation wireless occupancy-sensing platform provides customers with spatial insights to drive better space utilisation and improve operational efficiencies, while preserving privacy. We’re excited to invest in Butlr as they leverage wireless technology and AI to enable the future of work and smart buildings.”

Available today, Butlr’s Heatic 2 sensors are wirelessly and magnetically mounted, installed in a fraction of the time of wired products, and cover twice the area of the original sensors.

The new zones feature monitors desk use, soft seating and activity while the space visualiser shows usage trends based on heatmaps and people detections over time. The related data allow users to conduct A/B testing to determine the best office layout that reflects the culture of the workforce and needs of the organisation.

Butlr’s API allows users to integrate occupancy data with other databases and develop customised tools that meet their business requirements.

Employers use Butlr technology to create supportive and collaborative work environments. Commercial real estate professionals use the technology for private and accurate insights on office usage to offer flexible leasing options while executing a smart building strategy featuring more energy efficient properties with a lower carbon footprint.

“Butlr technology is designed to reflect the significant cultural changes currently underway by providing the insights that allow everyone to make the most of their time at work, in senior care or aging at home,” said Honghao Deng, CEO of Butlr. “Our newest investor, Qualcomm Ventures, along with our latest technology allows us to meet this growing demand on a global level while playing a critical role in the future of work.”

The World Health Organisation estimates the population of people aged 60 years or older will double by 2050, representing 2.1 billion people. For senior care at assisted living facilities and to help people age in place, Butlr technology understands movement in a space and flags unusual activity such as falls. Along with supporting seniors in a dignified manner, without the need for intrusive cameras or wristbands, Butlr also helps facilities close staffing gaps and adhere to compliance requirements.

Spun out of the MIT Media Lab in 2019 with offices in Silicon Valley and Boston, Butlr was founded by Forbes 30 Under 30 entrepreneurs Honghao Deng and Jiani Zeng with a mission to make the built environment people-aware. The company’s people sensing platform uses body heat and machine learning to detect occupancy, headcount and activity, and generate accurate, real-time and historical spatial insights while being incapable of collecting personally identifiable information.