There was a time people thought the world was flat. They saw what was before them, but missed the intricacy therein. Today, society knows better, but had its ancestors possessed the same technology TruePoint Laser Scanning brings to the field, the world’s complexity would never have been in doubt.

Founded by Ryan Hacker in 2011, TruePoint Laser Scanning is a company built on the power of 3-D laser scanning. Its scanners utilize lasers to take measurements of the setting around them—from verification of As Built structures or newly constructed facilities, to indoor piping or local terrain.

This isn’t the same concept as 3-D movies, however—one needs no special goggles to see what laser scanning offers. Instead, the laser involved renders a 360-degree, dimensionally accurate digitalization of the surrounding area.

The biggest advantage between this and traditional, manual efforts at surveying lie largely in the scanner’s interaction with complex spaces, as well as the safety factor.

“Any client that has a complex space or some hazards where they’re trying to capture the information presents a problem … Whereas we can setup safely on the ground and safely from a distance to very quickly and accurately capture the complex space,” Ryan said.

Scanners capture data in the field, which is then uploaded by technicians, and eventually, all of that information is processed by TruePoint’s facilities in Toledo, Ohio.

The technology does have its limitations, though. While ideal for engineers or architects on surface projects, it operates purely on a line of sight basis. It cannot go underground or see through walls.

Yet the technology is changing every day, and change is something is something with which Ryan is familiar.

Originally, Ryan graduated from college with an eye on an entirely different field: concert production. It wasn’t a good fit. Instead, he moved to banking. He spent around 12 years in the banking world. At the same time, he continued his education, and acquired a master’s degree.

Through it all, one goal persevered: to found his own business. TruePoint was that business.

“For me, the big thing was, working with all these people on the banking side, I got to see what I did like about companies, what I didn’t, how they were run—and so as soon as this laser scanning idea came to me I loved it because it was scaleable—I could live anywhere and I could work anywhere … And I liked that this was an emerging market.” Ryan said.

If you found this story to be interesting, informative or inspiring, please let Ryan know! You can contact him at 419-843-7226; by email at rhacker@truepointscanning.com; visit the business at 6800 W. Central Ave. #1, Toledo; or visit the website at www.truepointscanning.com/Contact_TruePoint_Laser_Scanning.