The Artec Leo is a professional portable 3D scanner made by Artec, a manufacturer based in Luxembourg. It was originally launched in March 2017 and received major updates in March 2022.

Artec Leo 2022 upgrades

In March 2022, Artec3D released an updated, more powerful version of the Leo for its five-year anniversary. The Leo boasts a new, faster processor and comes with a calibration certificate to guarantee its accuracy. It also now comes with a calibration kit for periodical fine-tuning.

Structured light technology

The Leo uses structured light technology to 3D scan a wide variety of subjects and their textures (colors): objects, mechanical parts, people, vehicles, and environments. A specific pattern of light is cast upon the surface to 3D scan. The deformation of the pattern is then analyzed and the properties of the 3D surface are registered.

Leo main features

The Artec Leo relies on VCSEL as its light source. VCSEL (Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser) technology is a type of semiconductor laser diode that emits a laser beam perpendicularly to the surface. This helps the Leo operate under a wide variety of lighting conditions. Moreover, with Artec3D's 3D HDR technique, the Leo can even capture black and glossy surfaces. Another one of the Leo's key features is its embedded IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) with 9 Degrees of Freedom, including an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a compass. With this equipment, the Artec Leo doesn't require additional markers (trackers). Instead, it relies on a mix of texture and geometry tracking.

A portable 3D scanner

This 3D scanner is optimized for portable, wireless 3D scanning. It boasts its own processor and its own rechargeable battery. Hence, the Leo requires neither PC tethering nor a power connection, a true advantage compared to less portable solutions. It is however much, much heavier (2.6 kg) than non-wireless handheld 3D scanners; you can definitely feel this after just a few minutes of use. The Leo weighs almost five times more than the most lightweight, tethered scanners. To make the scanning process easier, the Leo performs onboard Real-Time Fusion. This means that it displays the 3D scanning data on its large HD touch screen. Therefore, it is more intuitive for the operator to stay on track.

Artec Leo vs Artec Eva

Compared to the Artec Eva, the Leo is faster and offers better texture (color) resolution. It also offers a larger field of view, around 6 times larger than the Eva's. Indeed, its capture zone is 173,000 cm3 (approximately a whole bathtub), enough to capture large objects in a few steps. The Leo is a great fit for engineers working on large pieces, architecture, aerospace applications as well as criminal investigations.

Artec Leo price

Please contact us for more information. Discover more 3D scanners with our 3D scanner comparison engine.