Starting Off:
Last Friday, the ConTechTrio aired episode 37 of the podcast in which James Benham (@jamesmbenham), Rob McKinney (@conappguru) and Josh Bone (@bim2thebone) discussed the latest construction tech news. Headliners last week included Autodesk’s new high-tech lab, virtual reality jobsite safety training, Revizto’s 4.2 global webinar and much more! Special guest Kris Lengieza (@gieza0527), VDC Director at Stiles Construction (@StilesBuild) also joined to discuss implementing standards, policies and procedures to leverage project data.
Geek Out Product Of The Week:
Seek Thermal – CompactPro – The most advanced thermal imaging camera designed for a smartphone. Made for iPhone® and Android™ models, this portable thermal imaging camera features a large 320×240 thermal sensor with high sensitivity and a wide 32-degree field of view.
Weekly ConTechTrio Twitter Poll:
Last Week’s Poll: Are you using voice to text applications on the job site?
This Week’s Poll: Does your company set aside time to train employees on policies & procedures for managing project data? Visit the ConTechTrio Twitter page to answer “Yes” or “No.”
Construction Tech News:
Augmented & Virtual Reality
Virtual & Augmented Reality are Redefining Construction
Learn how virtual reality and augmented reality are disrupting the AEC sector.
Construction Sites are Getting Safer Due to VR
Researchers in Germany are improving safety on construction sites by creating interactive training courses for virtual reality headsets. Before a site is worked on, experts walk through a virtual version of the site, identify any areas that will pose risks, and plan suitable safety measures before construction begins.
Spoiler Alert: You will be Using Mobile AR & VR in 2 Years
Mobile VR is expected to blow up (Not like the Note 7) when Google releases Daydream. In 2-3 years, billions are expected to use VR like they use GPS, without any hesitation.
New Software, Solutions & Programs
Weekly Technology & Software Rundown
Get the rundown on new rugged tablets for the jobsite, a smart building controller and an architect/contractor collaboration platform.
Webinar: Intro to Revizto 4.2
Join Revizto experts on October 12, for their latest Revizto 4.2 Global Webinar! Sign up to learn about the enhanced workflows and platform improvements of Revizto 4.2.
Apple CEO Clarifies Why He’d Rather be the Best than the First
At a recent appearance at the Utah Tech Tour, Apple CEO, Tim Cook pointed out that it’s nearly impossible for a company to be the best, the first and to make the most of a given product. He explained entrepreneurs, when launching their company, need to pick one of these three goals in order to be successful.
Autodesk Opens BUILD, a Tech Lab for the AEC Industry
The fabrication-minded R&D facility, located in Boston, spans roughly 70,000 sq ft, including the 34,000 sq ft BUILD fabrication lab. The lab will provide project and research teams from academia, industry, and Autodesk the ability to explore “next-generation” construction fabrication techniques.
Emerging Technology
Microsoft Bans its Fitness Bands from Stores
Microsoft has pulled its Band 2 from stores and will not release a Band 3 this year. Microsoft says it’s still exploring the wearables space, but has stopped making wearables for the time being.
Stay Connected Off-Grid with goTenna Mesh
No internet? No network coverage? No problem with goTenna Mesh, which is the first 100% off-grid, long-range consumer-ready mesh network. Pair to your phone & relay messages through other users to increase range.
Google’s First Tango Phone Coming November 2016
The Lenovo Phab 2 Pro is the first smartphone to feature Google’s Tango 3D depth-sensing camera technology. The Tango hardware includes features, such as the ability to scan the surrounding world, create 3D maps and allow for augmented reality experiences.
Kris Lengieza, VDC Director at Stiles Construction, Discusses Leveraging Construction Project Data
In the second half of the podcast, Kris Lengieza, VDC Director at Stiles Construction joined the ConTechTrio to discuss implementing standards, policies and procedures to leverage project data. Kris grew up in Massachusetts with a dream of someday building US golf courses for a living. However, after graduating college with a civil engineering degree, he came to find out that only seven professionals were allowed to design these courses – which led him to construction! While working for a company building golf course club houses, he was approached by Stiles Construction to start up their VDC section. Kris jumped at the opportunity and has worked with the company for four years now, becoming its “VDC Guru.” On the podcast, Kris discussed the processes/procedures he goes through when implementing new technology and software within his company. The ConTechTrio and Kris wrapped up the interview by reviewing how the construction owner community is embracing BIM and the policies/procedures companies can put in place to make the BIM transition easier.
Tune into the ConTechTrio podcast again this Friday for Episode 38, featuring Steve Polich, President & Owner of Safety-Reports! Until then, you can catch up on past episodes of our construction technology podcast and even check out some bonus episodes via the links below!
Listen: Spreaker, SoundCloud , YouTube, iTunes
Follow On Twitter:
JBKnowledge: @JBKnowledge
ConTechTrio: @ConTechTrio
James Benham: @jamesmbenham
Rob McKinney: @conappguru
Josh Bone: @bim2thebone
