HoloBuilder: 360° Visual Documentation Integrated into FARO's Digital Twin Solution
Corporate Profile and Strategic Integration
Evolution and Acquisition by FARO Technologies
HoloBuilder, Inc., founded in 2014 in San Francisco, California, emerged as a pioneering platform in construction documentation through 360° visual capture. In June 2021, the company was acquired by FARO Technologies (NASDAQ: FARO) in a strategic transaction valued at approximately US$34 million. This integration transformed HoloBuilder from an independent startup to a key technology subsidiary, consolidating FARO's offering in the building and infrastructure sector.
Under the FARO framework, HoloBuilder has become an integral part of the 'FARO Sphere XG' cloud platform. This ecosystem allows construction professionals to manage both high-speed spherical photos and high-precision laser scans in a single common data environment (CDE). The synergy between both technologies allows complete traceability of the project, from massive data capture in the field to detailed as-built analysis.
Capture Technology and Progress Management
Workflow with JobWalk and BIM Synchronization
The operational core of HoloBuilder lies in its 'JobWalk' application, which allows engineers and architects to passively capture site progress. By linking a 360° camera to the helmet and walking around the site, the software uses positioning algorithms to automatically place images on top of digital floor plans or BIM models. This method reduces manual documentation time by up to 80% compared to traditional photography.
The platform facilitates the creation of a visual 'Time Travel', allowing interested parties to compare the status of the same location on different dates. This capability is critical for dispute resolution, verification of installations hidden behind partitions, and remote monitoring. Interoperability with tools such as Autodesk Build, Procore, and Bluebeam ensures that visual documentation is available within existing project management flows.