An outdoor lidar sensor from German company Blickfeld enables extended sensor networks over large areas, such as within a smart city, under adverse environmental conditions.

The Cube One Outdoor lidar sensor is protected to IP65 against ingress of dust and jets of water from all directions. Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) technology simplifies installation and maintenance, reducing the number of accessories required and thus the complexity of the lidar systems.

The sensor is based on the Cube One model, which has already been used in numerous projects, including volume measurement and people counting, as well as in security applications. The Cube One Outdoor extends this for use in harsher environments.

PoE technology means the power supply runs via the same cable as the data line, so there are fewer external accessories or plug connections thus simplifying the installation, operation and maintenance of sensor systems.

The power supply and data line run over a standard Ethernet cable, which is suitable due to the low power consumption of the sensor. A PoE splitter is required to separate the power and data signals. This is integrated into the housing of the Cube One Outdoor, making external splitters unnecessary.

The reduction of external accessories leads to a reduction in overall expense, as fewer accessories need to be protected against dust and water, supplied with cables, installed and maintained. Systems with dozens or even hundreds of sensors become less complex and can be installed much faster.

In addition to the performance of the hardware and software in sensing and understanding the environment, ease of use is an important consideration for businesses. This is because it has a major impact on costs and operations.

“Simple installation and extensive freedom from maintenance are particularly important among industrial applications, especially if, for instance, company premises may only be entered under high security measures or if maintenance is only possible during breaks in operation,” said Florian Petit, one of the Blickfeld’s founders. “With its easy-to-install and low-maintenance PoE technology, the jet-proof and dust-proof Cube One Outdoor brings huge advantages in this respect and opens up numerous fields of application.”