Leica Announces Cyclone 5.1 for New, Ultra-fast Laser Scanner and As Upgrade for Cyclone Users

Ultra-fast, Phase-based HDS4500 Scanner Can Now Be Operated by Industrys Most Popular Laser Scanning Software

San Ramon, CA, May 24, 2004 – Leica Geosystems HDS, Inc. (formerly Cyra Technologies) announced CycloneTM 5.1 software for its new, ultra high-speed HDS4500 short-range laser scanner. This follows the launch of Cyclone 5.0 software in late 2003 in conjunction with the companys new, surveyor-friendly HDS3000 long-range scanner. Cyclone 5.1 enables, for the first time, an ultra high-speed, phase-based laser scanner to be operated using Cyclone, the industrys most popular laser scanning software. HDS4500 users can directly access HDS4500 point cloud data in either Cyclone 5.1 or CloudWorxTM 3.0. Both applications feature large point cloud support, critical for both the HDS4500 and HDS300 because of their large field-of-view (max 360×310 and 360×270, respectively) and high point density capabilities.

The companys High-Definition SurveyingTM (also known as laser scanning) hardware and software products are used for conducting as-built, engineering, and detail geometric surveys within the AEC markets.

Process HDS4500 Point Clouds Directly in the Industrys Two Most Popular Software Applications
In addition to directly controlling an HDS4500 laser scanner, Cyclone 5.1 directly exposes point cloud data from this scanner to the full power and versatility of Cyclone and CloudWorx, the industrys two most popular software applications. Cyclone can be used to efficiently geo-reference, register, and process point clouds into deliverables, while CloudWorx enables users to work efficiently with HDS4500 point cloud data directly inside MicroStation or AutoCAD-based applications, another industry first.

Existing Cyclone 4.1 and Cyrax 2500 Users Gain Access to Large Point Cloud Upgrade and More
Cyclone 5.1 is the upgrade path for the companys large installed base of Cyclone 4.1 and Cyrax 2500 users for managing very large point cloud data sets (minimum ten-fold increase over Cyclone 4.1). Very large point cloud support, including spatial indexing that makes it easy to find all available scan data for specific areas of interest, was first released in Cyclone 5.0 for the HDS3000 scanner (see March 22, 2004 Press Release, Leica Announces First Shipments of New HDS3000 Laser Scanning System for As-built, Detail, and Engineering Surveys). Other new features in Cyclone 5.1 include the ability to re-sample into regular grids (for convenient export to civil CAD applications) and to readily compare as-built topographic surfaces to design surfaces for construction QA or progress monitoring, increasingly common applications for High-Definition Surveying (HDS).

Pricing & Availability
The first formal, public demonstration of this powerful new capability by Leica Geosystems HDS will be at their booth at Bentleys BE Conference, May 23-27 in Orlando, FL. Product release is planned for mid-June. Pricing information is available through appropriate Leica Geosystems representatives and dealers worldwide.

For further information contact:
Tel (direct)1-925-790-2317
Tel (central)1-925-790-2300
Fax1-925-790-2309
E-mailgeoffrey.jacobs@hds.leica-geosystems.com