Hybrid people counting solutions
Hybrid people counting combines Wi-Fi, 3D sensors and mobile network data in one system. Sensors give exact counts at the door, Wi-Fi measures flows across the whole space and mobile network data covers the wide outdoors. Each method fills the blind spots of the others, and all three feed the same platform, where they cross-validate each other.
Wi-Fi, cameras/3D and cellular in one platform that leaves no blind spots.
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Main benefits
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Macro + micro accuracy
From exact in/out at the door to district-wide flows, each method covers what the others can't.
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Cross-validated data
The methods check each other. Sensor ground truth calibrates Wi-Fi, and Wi-Fi adds context to what the sensors measure at each point, which gives you higher confidence in every number.
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Predictive planning
More complete data supports forecasting for event management, retail planning and urban development.
How it works
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Map the questions
We start from what you need to know, then assign each question to the method that answers it best.
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Deploy only what's needed
Re-use existing Wi-Fi for coverage, add sensors only at the doors that need exact counts, and add cellular for the wide outdoors.
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Fuse & cross-validate
All streams meet in one engine, where sensor ground truth calibrates Wi-Fi and the methods check each other.
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Deliver one picture
Everything arrives through a single API and one set of dashboards, with every metric comparable and no gaps.
What data you get from a hybrid
A hybrid covers the full metric set, with each metric sourced from the method that delivers it best:
- Exact in / out and real-time occupancy (from sensors)
- Whole-space paths, dwell, zone correlation and conversion (from Wi-Fi)
- Wide-area visitor numbers and catchment (from cellular)
- Peaks, trends and benchmarking across every method, in one place
A hybrid is the only way to get every metric at once with cross-validation. See the method-by-method grid.
What is hybrid people counting?
Hybrid people counting fuses Wi-Fi scalability, sensor precision and cellular (mobile network data) coverage in one analytics system, where each method covers the weaknesses of the others. A hybrid can combine any of our methods, including LiDAR, AI cameras and Xovis people counting.
How do Wi-Fi, 3D sensors and cellular compare in a hybrid setup?
| Method | What it measures | Privacy | Installation | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Paths, dwell and conversion across a whole space | Anonymised, aggregated signals | Usually the existing access points | Whole spaces and the journeys across them |
| 3D sensors | Exact in/out counts and occupancy at a door | No personal images stored | Overhead sensors only at the doors that need them | Entrances and gates |
| Cellular | Visitor numbers and catchment across districts | Anonymised, aggregated network data | No app on anyone’s phone | City centres and outdoor areas |
| Hybrid | All of the above, cross-validated | Anonymous, aggregated statistics | Each method only where needed | Sites that need door counts and wide coverage |
In a hybrid, all methods deliver to one analytics platform & API.
What trade-off does a hybrid setup remove?
With a single method you usually have to choose between precise data in one spot and nothing elsewhere, or broad data too coarse for decisions at the door. A hybrid gives you exact in/out counts where you need them and whole-space behaviour everywhere else, plus the wide outdoors, all delivered as GDPR-compliant footfall analytics.
For occupancy, sensors give the exact number at each door and Wi-Fi shows where people have moved after entering.
Where a hybrid setup fits best
- Smart cities: model infrastructure needs across a district, from the wide outdoors down to the main indoor points.
- Airports: measure passenger flow from kerb to gate with Wi-Fi and sensors together.
- Shopping malls: combine Wi-Fi and cameras for visitor-based rent and campaign evaluation.
Curious what this looks like for your venue?
Approved and validated
You work with one company, however many methods you combine. Bumbee Labs is the company behind the only footfall method in Europe approved by a data protection authority. Whatever its scale, a hybrid involves no personal data.
We are very happy to announce this partnership with Bumbee Labs to boost our Wireless solutions portfolio and bring what we believe is the future for retail businesses, measured by trustful data. What can't be measured, can't be improved.
Frequently asked questions
Why use a hybrid instead of picking one counting method?
Each technology has its limits. A sensor is exact at its point and blind everywhere else. Wi-Fi covers whole spaces, although it isn't ideal for counting line crossings at a single door, and cellular sees the wide outdoors but not indoor detail. Combined, they give full coverage without the blind spots any one method leaves.
Is a hybrid setup more expensive than a single method?
Not necessarily. A hybrid often costs less than over-deploying a single method, because it re-uses existing Wi-Fi infrastructure for coverage and adds precise sensors only where they're needed.
Does combining methods in a hybrid improve accuracy?
Yes. The data streams complement each other, so the methods can cross-validate. Sensor and control data give a reliable ground truth that calibrates the statistical model and helps keep it accurate over time.
How is the data from a hybrid delivered?
Through one platform, where every method's metrics land in the same API and dashboards, so you can compare like for like across the whole estate. See the analytics platform and the data deliverables page.