Hexagon Metrology Inc. announced its latest product at Quality Expo South in Charlotte, North Carolina—the Leica Absolute Tracker AT401, the industry’s first wireless, battery-powered laser tracker.

You’re probably thinking, “Yeah, so what? Another laser tracker. What did they do, marginally improve the specs or something?”

Or something. First, it’s... well, tiny isn’t really the word, but it certainly looks that way compared to other trackers. The unit weighs less than 18 pounds, including the controller, and is less than 11 inches tall, making it the lightest and smallest tracker around. The unit isn’t just small; it’s Wi-Fi-capable and completely battery operated, providing up to eight hours of use. And if you can’t get the job done in eight hours, hot-swap batteries enable the operator to install fresh batteries without powering down the system.

All of this isn’t just small for small’s sake. The unit’s intended market are those who need to do large-volume 3-D measurement or alignment in environments where portability is a must.

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