Starting Off:
Last Friday, The ConTechCrew aired episode 88 of the podcast with special guest, Travis Voss, Technology Manager at Mechanical Inc. and discussed augmented reality and virtual reality use cases in construction. The top headlines included Trello’s planning and collaboration app, the Microsoft 365 announcement, Leica Geosystem’s partnership with Matterport, Trimble’s new products and much more!
Big Announcements:
Due to our dedicated listeners and massive growth in the podcast, the ConTechTrio podcast has newly been rebranded and renamed to The ConTechCrew and have also added Jeff Sample, (@IronmanOfIT) to join the crew. Be sure to follow The ConTechCrew for top industry trends and updates on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Spreaker!
The ConTechCrew would like YOU to join them at Autodesk University’s one-day construction focused tech summit. This year’s big giveaway includes: two Connect and Construct Summit passes, two Autodesk University passes and a $1,000 travel budget. Register and enter to win here!
ConTechTuesday:
This week on ConTechTuesday, Rob McKinney discusses the importance of project planning in construction and reviews the Trello planning and collaboration app.
Construction Tech News:
Industry Education, Insights & Trends
The Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of OSHA has issued a 30 day “grace period” to help assist employers who are making good faith efforts to meet the new requirements with OSHA’s new Silica Dust Exposure Limit regulations.
Microsoft has announced the new release of Microsoft 365, a complete, intelligent solution that combines the best features from Office 365, Windows 10 and Enterprise Mobility + Security.
Partnerships & Acquisitions
Procore.org is joining forces with Habitat for Humanity International to help give back by providing their products for free to help individuals with construction efforts.
Leica Geosystems and Matterport have announced their integration which focuses on integrating the Leica BLK360 imaging laser scanner into Matterport’s cloud-based platform.
Augmented & Virtual Reality
The new Sketchfab app is the biggest 3D model sharing platform and with the iOS 11 update, it might be the best way to tryout ARKit.
IrisVR has released Prospect 1.7 which includes a new tool that allows users to read materials and layers of an element while viewing their projects in virtual reality.
Virtual machines meet virtual reality at VMWORLD US 2017, including new integrations between VMware products and virtual reality. Stay tuned for more details to come!
Emerging Technology
Trimble has announced two new products at Intergeo 2017. The new products include Trimble Clarity, a new cloud-based point cloud sharing application and eCognition 9.3, a solution for geospatial analysis.
Geek Of The Week:
We Interviewed: Travis Voss
Day Job: Technology Manager at Mechanical Inc. 
Fun Fact: Travis Voss is a powerlifter.
Resume: Travis was born and raised in Freeport, Illinois and started working as a Programmer Developer for a startup company. After working as the Director of Data Services at Briteforce Software, Travis started working for Mechanical Inc in 2016.
Joined the Podcast to Geek Out On: Mechanical Inc.’s forward thinking ideology on investing in new technology, implementing Microsoft Hololens in the field, and lastly how technology is improving safety and productivity in the AEC Industry.
Next week on The ConTechCrew: Kris Lengieza from Stiles will be joining the podcast to discuss data analytics in construction. Don’t miss it!
Listen to the Podcast: Spreaker, YouTube, iTunes,
Follow On Twitter: @JBKnowledge, @TheConTechCrew
