Last Friday, the #ConTechTrio with James Benham (@JamesMBenham), Josh Bone (@BIMtothebone), and Rob McKinney (@conappguru) aired their 11th podcast episode in which special guest Mike Pink, Founder and CEO of Construx Solutions @ConstruxSolutns joined to discuss construction tech news of the week and construction project controls technology. Headliners last week included news of drones that can land on water, self driving truck convoys, GoPro’s plan to implement virtual reality and more!
The #ConTechTrio discussed how biologists can now program living cells like a computer through the use of a software named Cello. London also made the news as the first timber skyscraper is becoming closer to reality. This plan to build an 80 story building out of renewable resources is projected to have many benefits including reduced costs, improved timescales, increased fire resistance, and reduced weight. Tesla remained in the news this past week as there are now over 350,000 preorders of the new Tesla Model 3! Drones were also discussed as the Navy is utilizing a drone that is solar powered and able to land on water. The first ever self-driving truck convoy also completed its first journey across Europe this past week which could lead to less congestion, fewer accidents, and reduced fuel consumption in the future.
Apple continued to make headlines as they have recently filed for a patent for Macbook without keys. This development is expected to allow users to customize the input areas in many ways, even without physically touching the device. In addition, GoPro has entered into the virtual reality world by launching their new product, Omni, which combines the power of six HERO4 Black cameras to shoot 360 degree video. A little fun fact was also shared in the news last week as the original Jeep was patented 75 years ago!
Harvard made the news as researchers there have designed a 3D material that can change size, volume, and shape. This material is projected to be transformative as it can fold flat, withstand weight, and then pop right back to its original state. The Hololens is officially making its way into real estate as Skanska USA Commercial Development has earned the title “world’s first holographic real estate leasing center”. Skanska USA Commercial Development is implementing the Hololens this summer in it’s leasing office to allow potential tenants to visualize their high-rise office projects. The UK implemented the BIM mandate the first week of April and many construction companies including Balfour Beatty, have now reported on how the mandate is affecting their operations.
In the second half of the podcast, Mike Pink from @ConstruxSolutns joined the #ConTechTrio to discuss construction project controls technology. Mike got his start in construction through offering construction consulting services before he later went on to create Construx Solutions. From his consulting experience, he learned how to identify the most relevant construction data to guide operational decisions, which he later implemented in the Construx Solutions offerings. Mike and the #ConTechTrio discussed the challenges that arise when developing and tracking a project schedule, why documentation of daily activities is imperative, and how the use of Construx Solutions software help construction managers avoid risk and manage possible disputes.
Be sure to the join the #ConTechTrio again this Friday for Episode 1.12 of the podcast where @autodesk BIM360 will be discussed with special guest Stacy Scapano @sscopano of Autodesk. Until then you can catch up on any #ConTechTrio podcast episodes you may have missed, and even listen to a few bonus episodes via the links below!
Listen to the ConTechTrio Podcast on iTunes
Listen to the ConTechTrio Podcast on Spreaker
Listen to the ConTechTrio Podcast on SoundCloud
Listen to the ConTechTrio Podcast on YouTube
