Technology and Software Rundown

February 13, 2017 Azuga in the News, News

By Marla McIntyre, February 7, 2017
Original news item appeared in: www.enewsletters.constructionexec.com

Marla McIntyre is editor of Construction Executive Tech Trends and Construction Executive Risk Management enewsletters. Tech Trends was named a Silver Award winner of the Trade Association Business Publications International’s Tabbies for best enewsletter in 2016. Marla spent her career educating contractors, subcontractors, bankers, public and private owners, legislators, educators, insurers, and attorneys on construction and contract surety bonding issues. She’s the author of more than 100 articles, including an award-winning series for the Risk Management Association, and has written books, directories, informational brochures and reports. Her extensive construction and risk management background includes stints as executive director the American Subcontractors Association of Metro Washington and the Surety Information Office. She also worked for Associated General Contractors of America, National Conference of States on Building Codes & Standards, Association of Major City Building Officials, and National Concrete Masonry Association. She served on the boards of the Construction Writers Association and American Council for Construction Education and was active in the Construction Owners Association of America.

Marla McIntyre

A new drone increases the accuracy of aerial images. An innovative weather application combines weather and lightning observation metrics with data representation. “Cool Stuff” includes a partnership for research in 3-D, digital fabrication and sustainable built environment and a new material 100 times stronger than steel.

PRODUCTS

KESPRY ENHANCES DRONE 2 SYSTEM, DELIVERS ACCURACY

The Kespry Drone 2 has four to six times the accuracy of the previous Kespry Drone System. By adding a high-performance ground receiver, the Kespry Drone 2s can deliver accuracy of two to 10 centimeters. The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) base station receiver serves as a single survey control point. During flight, imagery from the Drone 2s and data from the base station are collected simultaneously. Both data sets are automatically uploaded for processing in the Kespry Cloud where accurate survey-grade data is automatically generated. The single ground control point simplifies survey applications as it eliminates the need for multiple control points and additional manual measurements in the survey process. Post-Processed Kinematic (PPK) technology is used to increase the accuracy of photogrammetric aerial images.

AZUGA ASSET TRACKER™ PROVIDES REAL-TIME VISIBILITY OF FLEET ASSETS IN THE FIELD

Asset Tracker™ incorporates a line of application-specific asset tracking devices that seamlessly integrate with Azuga’s cloud-based application for real-time monitoring and in-field management, to simplify delivery, service, recovery and billing for assets deployed in the field. The Azuga Asset Tracker™ helps its construction customers monitor machinery in the field, track deliveries, coordinate service operations and locate equipment and trailers quickly and efficiently. With seamless integration into Azuga’s suite of telematics solutions, managers can choose from either a battery-operated or rechargeable, rugged-weather device.

SOFTWARE & IN THE CLOUD

EARTH NETWORKS SFERIC PRODUCT LINE AUTOMATES WEATHER-INFLUENCED DECISIONS

Earth Networks Sferic Maps and Sferic Mobile advanced weather visualization, decision support and collaboration products are designed to reduce risk and improve operations for organizations across weather-sensitive industries. Sferic Maps empowers emergency management and business continuity professionals with real-time collaboration capabilities to make intelligent weather-related decisions, increase response planning lead time and minimize operational downtime. This innovative weather visualization application combines the best of Earth Networks weather and lightning observation metrics with powerful data representation, real-time broadcasting, and customized alerting capabilities.

DEXTER + CHANEY SPECTRUM TICKETING SOLUTION FOR MATERIAL WEIGHT TICKETING AND MANAGEMENT

Dexter + Chaney’s Spectrum Ticketing, part of the Spectrum® Construction Software suite,is a unified web, mobile and scale house solution for bulk material weight ticketing, providing material haulers and handlers with a cloud-based system to manage their materials and material tickets. Spectrum Ticketing is integrated with Spectrum’s materials management and accounting solutions, as well as inventory, job costing, project management and other areas of Spectrum functionality. The web portal automatically updates and provides real-time data for when materials are collected and tickets are issued. Two additional mobile apps allow haulers to see how much material they’ve hauled or how many tickets and the material amounts they have been issued and customers to see material orders, how much has been delivered, estimated times of delivery and more.

ACQUISITIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS

TRIMBLE TECHNOLOGY LAB GIFT EXPANDS TRAINING AND RESEARCH FOR BUILDING DESIGN AND FABRICATION

and the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst have partnered to expand leadership in training and research in 3-D building design, digital fabrication and the sustainable built environment. The in-kind donation by Trimble allows UMass Amherst to more fully integrate technological tools that are rapidly transforming how building and living environments are designed and constructed. The gift will establish the 1,300-square-foot Trimble Technology Lab in the new Design Building at UMass Amherst, including Trimble’s laser scanners, advanced robotic surveying systems, imaging rovers, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers and many of Trimble’s software packages including RealWorks® scanning software, Trimble Business Center, Vico Office Suite, GCEstimator™ Suite, Tekla® Structures, Sefaira Architecture and its popular 3-D modeling software SketchUp Pro. Potential applications include the scanning of historic buildings to ensure their preservation, design and 3-D printing of architectural building models, digital fabrication of custom-lab equipment, coastal erosion monitoring, and improvements in construction cost estimating and scheduling to reduce costs.

VIDEO & COOL STUFF

RISE OF DATA PROPELS GROWING ADOPTION OF SMART CITY SOLUTIONS

Black & Veatch’s 2017 Strategic Directions: Smart City/Smart Utility Report addresses the interlocking pieces of smart city ecosystems and effects on public safety, sustainability and quality of life. Technology is changing how first responders, government officials, public agencies and transportation fleets operate. Alternative fuel sources and electric vehicle programs are transforming the movement of people and goods, while smart street systems create opportunities to generate value from existing municipal assets. While municipalities may benefit from smart city initiatives, financial barriers may result in alternative strategies such as public private partnerships, generating tax revenue from increased economic development, monetizing data and leasing access to community-owned assets. Registration is required to download the report.

GRAPHENE – STRONGER THAN STEEL BUT MORE BRITTLE THAN CERAMIC

Live Science has reported on a new material, made of flecks of graphene pressed and fused together into a cobwebby network, that is incredibly light but is 100 times stronger than steel. The new material gets its strength from the way its atoms are aligned. The atom-thick sheets of graphene easily conduct electricity and it is possibly the strongest material produced today. Unfortunately, the carbon material is brittle so is not a good application for 3-D shapes.

Original news item appeared in:  www.enewsletters.constructionexec.com

Tags: Azuga Road Usage Charge Program, Caltrans, Government Telematics, RUC