Tech & Physical Distancing

Occupancy Counting Program Reaches into Ed Settings

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 01/07/21

A company with WiFi-based occupancy measurement solutions is attempting to reach into schools and colleges. BlueZoo's BlueFox Count uses sensors to continuously count probes from mobile phones to measure how many people are visiting a space in real-time. For every 15-minute period, the program reports on the number of visits begun and ended and the minimum, maximum and average number of visitors during that time slot.

When the number of people in a space exceeds the preset threshold, the application notifies on-site staff. It also predicts the wait time, based on tracking of historical data.

A single BlueFox sensor surveys areas up to 300,000 square feet, sensing all mobile devices located within a distance of up to 300 feet from the sensor and reports how many phones are detected within the space. The range can be configured for smaller areas, and "always-present " devices can be excluded from the count with a "SmartDetect" feature. Sensors are small, measuring two inches by two inches by one inch.

The company said that its products collect no personal information, including phone numbers.