Apple and YC Alums Unveil New Sensor Device to Improve Transit Experience
Density recently unveiled its namesake product - which combined a powerful people counter, a modern API, a dedication to privacy, and the company’s Sensor-as-a-Service business model. Density introduced an entirely new way to measure and understand how people use their space. The system’s self-installable sensors can be added above any relevant door or entryway. Users then access always-on people count through the company’s real-time API.
Josh Mohrer, Uber’s NYC general manager said, “Density will allow us to accurately understand foot traffic and occupancy at our support centers. The data we will receive is invaluable to better staffing and delivering the best service to our partners when they come in to visit.” Disclosure: Mohrer is a Density investor.
Density is a powerful people counter and industry-agnostic
Density uses depth technology, computer vision, and an onboard quad-core processor to anonymously measure and manage entrances and exits through a door. The advanced technology is intelligent enough to handle complex human behavior - group collisions, bi-directional movement, lines and lingering.
When deployed as a network of sensors, Density will reconcile multiple entrances through different doors all into one room. Density can do a lot of good - measure the status of an entire city’s available emergency rooms, identify which building entrance was used the most during an evacuation, calculate how many people are on the top floor of an office during a fire, determine the subway stop with the fewest people, or even eliminate lines.
“Density has a lot of ambition for a product that does just one thing,” said Andrew Farah, Density’s CEO. “There are more doors in the world than there are humans. It’s a big opportunity to be able to help all sorts of people from all walks of life use their space better.”
Density is a modern API
Built for stability and scale, Density’s API offers users the ability to query real-time capacity, historical people count, and door-by-door entrance data instantly and from anywhere in the world.
Density’s data is most useful in the context of other applications. With sensors installed, the Density API makes it possible for anyone to integrate people count into an app or website; feature or function; report or dashboard - deploy cleaning staff to the most-used spaces, get notified when someone tailgates through a secure door, see your city in real-time, and help students find a quiet place to study or work out.
Density is anonymous by design
Density’s design is also conscientious. The sensor’s timeless look is a complement to any space and its physical simplicity affords users simple, self-installation anywhere. Density is a modern system intended to promote and protect your privacy. Sensors will not be able to determine age, gender or ethnicity.
Density can be deployed into places a video camera cannot go - stadium bathrooms, churches, secure corporate offices, elementary schools, and dressing rooms. Users can finally rely on a system that doesn’t need to invade patron privacy to be useful.
Density has a unique Sensor-as-a-Service business model
Density’s hardware is free. Instead, users pay a simple monthly or annual fee for access to the data each sensor generates. Sensors may be returned to Density to stop a user’s service. This feature affords short-term customers tremendous flexibility and long-term deployments lasting value.
As its sensing technology improves, Density’s Sensor-as-a-Service model allows users access to the most up-to-date computing without an interruption of service. Users will be able to seamlessly swap out for Density’s latest hardware whenever the system evolves.
VC Funding
Density also recently announced $4 million in Series A funding and secondary. The round was led by Upfront Ventures’ managing partner Mark Suster. Suster joined Density’s board. Other participants in the round are Ludlow Ventures, Jason Calacanis, Dawn Patrol, Hiten Shah, and Arjun Sethi.
