Facilities Tech

Occupancy Count Tool Reaches into Ed Settings

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 01/08/21

BlueZoo, a provider of WiFi-based occupancy measurement solutions, is attempting to reach into schools and colleges. The company's BlueFoxCount 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 product collects no personal information, including phone numbers, according to the company.