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
| Jul 11, 2014
Are these LEGO-like blocks the future of construction?
Kite Bricks proposes a more efficient way of building with its newly developed Smart Bricks system.
| Jul 1, 2014
Hyper-speed rendering: How Gensler turns BIM models into beauty shots in seconds
In search of a fast rendering solution, Gensler looked to the gaming and moviemaking industries for the next breakthrough tool: Octane Render.
| Jul 1, 2014
Sochi's 'kinetic façade' may steal the show at the Winter Olympics
The temporary pavilion for Russian telecom operator MegaFon will be wrapped with a massive digital "pin screen" that will morph into the shape of any face.
| Jul 1, 2014
7 ways to cut waste in BIM implementation
Process mapping, split models, and streamlined coordination meetings are among the timesaving techniques AEC firms are employing to improve BIM/VDC workflows.
| Jun 30, 2014
Autodesk acquires design studio The Living, will create Autodesk Studio
The Living, David Benjamin's design studio, has been acquired by Autodesk. Combined, the two will create the Autodesk Studio, which will "create new types of buildings, public installations, prototypes and architectural environments."
| Jun 30, 2014
Report recommends making infrastructure upgrades a cabinet-level priority
The ASCE estimates that $3.6 trillion must be invested by 2020 to make critically needed upgrades and expansions of national infrastructure—and avoid trillions of dollars in lost business sales, exports, disposable income, and GDP.
| Jun 25, 2014
Taking a page from Lean manufacturing for improved design review processes
SPONSORED CONTENT As more building project teams look for ways to collaborate better, technology continues to provide solutions. Yet, as I learned from the experience of one of my customers, choosing the wrong technology can have an underwhelming effect, causing a team to simply swap out old challenges for new ones.
| Jun 18, 2014
Arup uses 3D printing to fabricate one-of-a-kind structural steel components
The firm's research shows that 3D printing has the potential to reduce costs, cut waste, and slash the carbon footprint of the construction sector.
| Jun 10, 2014
Site optimization: Paving the way for smoother land development projects
The biggest cost differential when dealing in site development from one site to another is the earthwork. So, when selecting a site, it is critical to not only take into account the initial purchase price of the property, but also what sort of investment it will take to prep the site for development.
Smart Buildings | Jun 8, 2014
Big Data: How one city took control of its facility assets with data
Over the past few years, Buffalo has developed a cutting-edge facility management program to ensure it's utilizing its facilities and operations as efficiently, effectively, and sustainably as possible.
