During the opening keynote address at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, Panasonic® Corporation announced the development of a new "4K Tablet" with a 20-inch 4K IPS Alpha LCD and a high precision pen. It is expected to enhance the way Architects, Engineers and Construction (AEC) professionals view and interact with digital drawings. Targeted to become available later this year, the tablet's 20-inch IPS Alpha LCD panel contains more than four times the resolution of Full High Definition. It leverages the touch capabilities of Windows 8 and includes a high precision digital pen for making notes on the panel's screen. Lightweight and less than an half inch thick, the tablet is slim, portable and represents the future of design review, bid, estimation, RFI response, and plan room access to drawing sets.
To help introduce this new technology to the AEC industry and demonstrate its endless possibilities, Panasonic is collaborating with Bluebeam® Software, a leading developer of PDF-based collaboration solutions for the design and construction industry, for R&D, product testing, and promotion.
"The upcoming 4K Panasonic tablet emulates the way design and construction professionals interact with printed drawings while giving users an incredibly high resolution view, making it simple to migrate from paper-based to digital workflows," said Bob Dobbins, Vice President, Corporate Planning & Strategic Initiatives at Panasonic Corporation of North America. "The potential of this technology is magnified when combined with the power of Bluebeam's PDF-based markup and collaboration solutions for the design and construction industry."
"When we first saw the prototype for the 4K tablet, we were blown away by the opportunities this device will offer project teams in the office and at the jobsite," said Richard Lee, CEO and President at Bluebeam Software. "We are excited to work with Panasonic and lend our knowledge and expertise of the AEC industry to bring this must-have technology to AEC professionals everywhere."
Bluebeam Software's flagship product, Revu®, is an award-winning PDF creation, markup and collaboration solution used by the world's top architecture, engineering and construction firms to digitally share and review project information. Revu enables users to electronically redline 2D and 3D PDFs with industry-standard markups and measurements, track all comments in an integrated Markups list, compare drawing revisions, store project files in the cloud and collaborate with others in real time. +
Related Stories
Steel Buildings | Apr 6, 2023
2023 AISC Forge Prize winner envisions the gas station of the future
Forge Prize winner LVL (Level) Studio envisions a place where motorists can relax, work, play, shop, or perhaps even get healthcare while their vehicles charge.
Architects | Apr 6, 2023
New tool from Perkins&Will will make public health data more accessible to designers and architects
Called PRECEDE, the dashboard is an open-source tool developed by Perkins&Will that draws on federal data to identify and assess community health priorities within the U.S. by location. The firm was recently awarded a $30,000 ASID Foundation Grant to enhance the tool.
Architects | Apr 6, 2023
Design for belonging: An introduction to inclusive design
The foundation of modern, formalized inclusive design can be traced back to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. The movement has developed beyond the simple rules outlined by ADA regulations resulting in features like mothers’ rooms, prayer rooms, and inclusive restrooms.
Market Data | Apr 6, 2023
JLL’s 2023 Construction Outlook foresees growth tempered by cost increases
The easing of supply chain snags for some product categories, and the dispensing with global COVID measures, have returned the North American construction sector to a sense of normal. However, that return is proving to be complicated, with the construction industry remaining exceptionally busy at a time when labor and materials cost inflation continues to put pricing pressure on projects, leading to caution in anticipation of a possible downturn. That’s the prognosis of JLL’s just-released 2023 U.S. and Canada Construction Outlook.
Cladding and Facade Systems | Apr 5, 2023
Façade innovation: University of Stuttgart tests a ‘saturated building skin’ for lessening heat islands
HydroSKIN is a façade made with textiles that stores rainwater and uses it later to cool hot building exteriors. The façade innovation consists of an external, multilayered 3D textile that acts as a water collector and evaporator.
Market Data | Apr 4, 2023
Nonresidential construction spending up 0.4% in February 2023
National nonresidential construction spending increased 0.4% in February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $982.2 billion for the month, up 16.8% from the previous year.
Sustainability | Apr 4, 2023
ASHRAE releases Building Performance Standards Guide
Building Performance Standards (BPS): A Technical Resource Guide was created to provide a technical basis for policymakers, building owners, practitioners and other stakeholders interested in developing and implementing a BPS policy. The publication is the first in a series of seven guidebooks by ASHRAE on building decarbonization.
Sustainability | Apr 4, 2023
NIBS report: Decarbonizing the U.S. building sector will require massive, coordinated effort
Decarbonizing the building sector will require a massive, strategic, and coordinated effort by the public and private sectors, according to a report by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS).
Education Facilities | Apr 3, 2023
Oklahoma’s Francis Tuttle Technology Center opens academic center for affordable education and training
Oklahoma’s Francis Tuttle Technology Center, which provides career-specific training to adults and high school students, has completed its Francis Tuttle Danforth Campus—a two-story, 155,000-sf academic building. The project aims to fill the growing community’s rising demand for affordable education and training.
Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 30, 2023
New University of St. Thomas sports arena will support school's move to Division I athletics
The University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minn., last year became the first Division III institution in the modern NCAA to transition directly to Division I. Plans for a new multipurpose sports arena on campus will support that move.
