People Counting Technology

The Problem: Buildings operated on assumptions

For decades, buildings have relied on motion-based occupancy detection, not actual human presence. Lighting, HVAC, and space planning decisions were triggered by movement, not by knowing how many people were present, where they were, or how spaces were truly used.

The result: Lights and HVAC running when no one is there, missed occupants sitting still in meeting rooms, inefficient space utilization, energy waste driven by guesswork.

From Motion Sensing to Presence Sensing

Traditional motion sensing (PIR, ultrasound, microwave) detects movement. They work well for turning lights on when someone walks into a room, but they cannot reliably determine wheter a space is still occupied once people stop moving.

Thermal Presence Sensing - People Counting (PC) goes far beyond motion detection by providing true presence awareness. Using advanced thermal sensing and embedded intelligence, it measures the actual number of people within a space by identifying when individuals enter and leave, maintaining an accurate occupancy count even when occupants are sitting still, working, or in meetings.

This creates a reliable foundation for automation, analytics, and decision-making across the building.

Technical: A Passive Infrared (PIR) sensor reads an energy value behind a Fresnel lens. When a warm body moves across different zones of the lens, the sensor detects a change in infrared energy and triggers a motion signal. A Thermal Array sensor measures infrared energy at every of its hundreds of pixels. These measurements form a low-resolution thermal image that enables the system to recognize human presence even when occupants remain stationary.

Space Counting

This application allows to identify at any given moment how many people are in a space and where they are located.

It requires the installation of one S-PC every 300 s.ft. to cover the whole area to be sensed. 

Every sensor field of view can be subdivided in up to 8 separate zones for greater control precision.

 

 

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Doorway Counting

This application allows to identify how many people are in a space by counting how many people entered or left the space.

Ideal for large spaces, it requires one S-PC per entry door. The system calculates how many people are inside a space based on ingress/egress at the different doorways.

 

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Eliminating False-Off Events

This is often the most noticeable improvement for occupants.

In the event of students reading quietly, employees working at computers, patients sleeping, these people often generate too little motion to keep a PIR sensor active.

Thermal Presence Sensing continues detecting them without requiring movement.

Privacy-First by Design

BubblyNet people counting uses a native low-resolution thermal sensor that never captures images or personally identifiable information (PII). 

What the sensor detects are heat patterns, not people — ensuring 100% privacy protection by architecture, not policy.

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Energy, Sustainability, Safety, and Wellbeing

By knowing exactly how many people are present — and where — buildings can operate more efficiently and responsibly.

People counting supports:

  • HVAC ventilation rates matched to actual occupancy
  • Lighting levels adjusted to real usage
  • Reduced energy waste per occupied hour
  • Accurate headcounts for emergency response
  • Compliance with occupancy limits and safety regulations

The result is lower energy consumption, improved safety, and healthier indoor environments.

CloudCore: From Configuration to Insight

Configuration of the People Counting sensors is easily achieved via Web browser.

Internet connectivity enables also portfolio-wide insights over time, revealing trends across floors, buildings, and sites.

 

 

Airgap operation

After configuration, the People Counting operation is Bluetooth® NLC for maximum security and reliability. Internet connectivity is not needed for the system to operate and communicate with lighting and HVAC.

 

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Real-World Applications

People counting paired with BubblyNet’s Edge-to-Cloud platform enables measurable outcomes across industries:

Smart Offices

Optimize meeting rooms, desk usage, and indoor air quality with real occupancy data.

Retail Spaces

Analyze foot traffic, improve layouts, and align staffing with customer flow.

Healthcare Facilities

Monitor patient movement, manage waiting areas, and support safety compliance.

Public Transportation & Public Spaces

Track passenger density, improve scheduling, and enhance safety during peak periods.