DPR Construction tries to resist being driven by the technology of the moment, says Chris Torres, the firm’s Technology Integration Manager.
But there are times, he admits, when attention must be paid. That happened last November, when Torres got his first glimpse of Indoor Reality, a backpack with a built-in laser scanner that its creators claim can scan 200,000 sf in just eight hours—roughly 30 times faster than stationary scanners.
The product—one of several similar backpacks on the market—goes wherever the user roams, using cellphone-based indoor GPS as its guide. The manufacturer claims the unit can help project teams generate Revit models three times faster than traditional point cloud methods.
Indoor Reality’s $100,000 price tag might be prohibitive for some AEC firms, but Torres says the supplier also showed a hand-held version that goes for around $15,000.
The reality capture world is replete with new products; so many, in fact, that it’s a wonder buyers can keep up with the releases. Here are a few new products and platforms that caught our eye:
- RTK and PPK. These are acronyms for real-time kinematic and post-processing kinematic GPS sensors. They are part of systems that provide accurate camera locations when using drones for mapping. They reduce the need for surveyed ground control to produce accurate digital terrain models and orthophotos from photogrammetry. PPK doesn’t require a radio link. Accuracies of 25 mm (XY coordinate) and 50 mm (Z coordinate) are achievable.
- A host of hand-held laser scanners has been making its way onto the market. One that’s been getting attention from AEC experts is Leico Geosystems’ BLK 360 scanner. Size: 6.5 inches by 4 inches. Weight: 2.2 pounds. It is capable of 360-degree spherical imaging, thermal imaging, and full 360-degree reality capture in less than three minutes. Price: under $16,000.
- SLAM, which stands for simultaneous localization and mapping, lets construction workers walk through a project site and map it in extreme detail in minutes. SLAM scans in real time and doesn’t require GPS. One company in this arena, GeoSLAM, recently launched Desktop V3, which incorporates a 2D and 3D viewer so registered point clouds can be viewed without moving to third-party software.
- Product tie-ins are the rage these days. Enscape, which provides visualization software for architects, just released a real-time rendering plug-in for Revit. Early adopters include Kohn Pedersen Fox and Foster+Partners. “What’s important,” says Thomas Schander, Enscape’s CEO, “is that now you don’t need to be a rendering expert to create stunning presentations.”
Related Stories
| Jan 12, 2014
5 ways virtual modeling can improve facilities management
Improved space management, streamlined maintenance, and economical retrofits are among the ways building owners and facility managers can benefit from building information modeling.
| Dec 31, 2013
Top 10 blog posts from 2013
BD+C editors and our contributors posted hundreds of blogs in 2013. Here's a recap of the most popular topics. They include valuable lessons from one of the first BIM-related lawsuits and sage advice from AEC legend Arthur Gensler.
| Dec 31, 2013
BD+C's top 10 stories of 2013
The world's tallest twisting tower and the rise of augmented reality technology in construction were among the 10 most popular articles posted on Building Design+Construction's website, BDCnetwork.com.
| Dec 17, 2013
IBM's five tech-driven innovation predictions for the next five years [infographics]
Smart classrooms, DNA-based medical care, and wired cities are among the technology-related innovations identified by IBM researchers for the company's 5 in 5 report.
| Dec 16, 2013
Is the metal building industry in a technology shift?
Automation is the future you can’t avoid, though you may try. Even within the metal building industry—which is made up of skilled tradesmen—automation has revolutionized, and will continue revolutionizing, how we work.
| Dec 10, 2013
16 great solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors
From a crowd-funded smart shovel to a why-didn’t-someone-do-this-sooner scheme for managing traffic in public restrooms, these ideas are noteworthy for creative problem-solving. Here are some of the most intriguing innovations the BD+C community has brought to our attention this year.
| Dec 9, 2013
Does technology help or hinder innovation?
Whether digital technology will help or hinder workplace insights remains a topic of ongoing debate. FastCo.Design features insights from business scholars on both sides of the issue.
| Dec 5, 2013
Translating design intent from across the globe
I recently attended the Bentley User Conference in Vejle, Denmark. I attended the event primarily to get a sense for the challenges our Danish counterparts are experiencing in project delivery and digital communication. One story I heard was from a BIM manager with Henning Larsen Architects in Denmark, who told me about a project she’d recently completed overseas in the Middle East. She outlined two distinct challenges and offered some interesting solutions to those challenges.
| Dec 3, 2013
‘BIM for all’ platform pays off for contractor
Construction giant JE Dunn is saving millions in cost avoidances by implementing a custom, cloud-based BIM/VDC collaboration platform.
| Nov 27, 2013
Exclusive survey: Revenues increased at nearly half of AEC firms in 2013
Forty-six percent of the respondents to an exclusive BD+C survey of AEC professionals reported that revenues had increased this year compared to 2012, with another 24.2% saying cash flow had stayed the same.