Rapid Site Surveys Using SLAM Technology

Access All Areas: Geomatics Systems for the Future

The difficulties of undertaking geospatial surveys, particularly in unstable buildings or underground environments, are well documented. However, the pressure to collect accurate, real-time data within strict timelines has certainly intensified in recent years. With increasingly tight deadlines coupled with strict budgets, conducting surveys of hard-to-access sites can be a real challenge for engineering and construction firms. This article explains how new innovations in building information modelling (BIM) are providing an answer with the aid of simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) technology. As engineering and construction firms grapple with issues such as skills shortages, robust safety regulations and fierce competition for contracts,... (read more)

2018-10-24 04:26:50

What's the Difference Between SLAM Algorithms for Handheld Lidar?

While researching handheld Lidar scanners, you will probably scour spec sheets, cross-reference features, and read about software workflows. But that will get you only part of the way to understanding the market – you will also need to compare the simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithms that power these devices and enable them to create a point cloud as you walk. The problem is that SLAM algorithms can be difficult to understand if you're not a software engineer. Good news: There are a few criteria you can use to judge SLAM algorithms. These criteria will help you understand what sets... (read more)

2019-12-24 09:48:10

GeoSLAM Launches New Innovation for Rapid Urban Mapping

Recently, GeoSLAM announced its latest innovation for rapid urban mapping – the ZEB Discovery. Officially unveiled at Intergeo 2019 in Stuttgart, the ZEB Discovery signifies a new era in data capture and integration of a point cloud with high-resolution imagery. The mapping solution is capable of rapidly capturing intricate data with the use of the company's industry-leading simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technology and NCTech’s iSTAR Pulsar panoramic camera for ultra-high-definition image capture. The end-to-end solution automatically synchronizes the point cloud with imagery for a unique walk-through of the area of data captured. Combining the two data sources into one... (read more)

2019-10-01 11:33:14

Indoor Mapping: We Have Only Seen the Beginning

Indoor mapping is often associated with the rise in location-based services, but over the past few years there has been a growing demand for indoor mapping for a much wider range of use cases. In fact, it is fair to say that the evolution of indoor mapping has only just got started. Read on to find out why. The biggest trend is that mobile indoor mapping is taking on more of the work traditionally performed by static laser scanners. Some of the earliest adopters of simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) technology were surveyors and engineers. Faced with growing demand for... (read more)

2018-09-20 08:48:58

Connected Construction: Shaping a Digital Future

Despite forecasts revealing that growth in the construction sector will rise by a staggering 70% across the world by 2025, it’s fair to say that compared to other industry sectors, the construction and engineering industry has been slower to embrace digital technology. With only a few AEC companies using digital as a tool to create new business opportunities and improve margins, many are missing out on innovative approaches to driving down costs and improving project execution. But this is about to change. The significant benefits that digital technologies bring to the way we design, construct and maintain our infrastructure can... (read more)

2020-02-18 04:27:42

Home Renovation Made Easy with Handheld 3D Scanning

As residential real estate prices continue to climb in many parts of the United States, property owners are increasingly investing in renovations and additions to their existing homes. To meet the demand, architects seek digital as-built documentation of the structures, so they can design the new construction. Many are asking for mobile 3D scanning by name as the technology they prefer to quickly capture the accurate, comprehensive as-built detail needed to start the design work. Business is booming for Precision Property Measurements (PPM), a Long Beach, California, firm that has provided as-built documentation services to Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC)... (read more)

2019-09-10 09:59:42

Indoor Mobile Mapping Goes Mainstream

In his previous column about the future of indoor mobile mapping, Felix Reinshagen made the case for why this technology was on the brink of widespread adoption. That was just over a year ago, and a lot has changed since then: brisk expansion of the products and services on offer, together with a widening field of applications. So after another incredible year, Reinshagen has written a new column outlining why he believes that mobile mapping is well past the tipping point and is about to go mainstream. The emphasis now is on assessing data quality and establishing universal standards in... (read more)

2020-01-16 09:27:27