Starting Off:
Last Friday, the ConTechTrio aired episode 38 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 Intel’s new fully branded drone, a 3D printed excavator cab, NASA utilizing HoloLens in space, BIM project benefits and much more! Special guest Steve Polich, Founder of Safety-Reports (@SafetyReports1) also joined to discuss safety management and apps.
Geek Out Product Of The Week:
FlashForge Dreamer Dual Extrusion 3D Printer – The FlashForge Dreamer is a high quality with dual extrusion technology 3D printer that provides a great learning experience to 3D printing.
Weekly ConTechTrio Twitter Poll:
Last Week’s Poll: Does your company set aside time to train employees on policies & procedures for managing project data?
This Week’s Poll: Do you use mobile apps to manage safety on construction projects? Visit the ConTechTrio Twitter page to answer “Yes” or “No.”
Construction Tech News:
Construction Videos
Video Shows What It’s Like to Work on a 500′ Bridge
Watch this 360 degree video that captures what it’s like to work on top of a 500 foot tall bridge!
NASA Video Shows HoloLens Being Used on the Space Station
NASA is beginning to utilize the Microsoft HoloLens in space! The headset allows ground controllers the ability to see from an astronaut’s point-of-view, send them drawings and other visual instructions on how to complete tasks.
Watch Oculus Connect 3 VR Event Keynote
The video highlights big announcements from Oculus’ VR keynote, such as Oculus Avatars, Oculus Touch, in-ear headphones for the Rift and more!
French Castle Being Built Using Only 13th Century Construction Techniques
The Guedelon Castle, located in Burgundy, France, has been under construction since 1997 and it’s still not expected to be complete until 2020! Good thing the industry has upgraded its techniques…
Augmented & Virtual Reality
Lenovo Phab 2 Pro Will Feature Google Tango Augmented Reality
The Lenovo Phab 2 Pro, the first smartphone to run the Tango AR environment, is set to launch in November, Google has confirmed. Learn how how Tango separates the Phab 2 Pro from other smartphones!
Paraplegics Learn to Walk Again with Virtual Reality
The Walk Again Project (WAP) is using VR to help paraplegics regain partial sensation and muscle control in their lower limbs. According to a study published Aug. 11 in Scientific Reports, all eight participants in the study gained back some motor control!
Drones
Intel Launches its Own Drone, Designed for Industrial Jobs
Intel has released its first Intel-branded drone, called the Falcon 8+. The drone is designed for big construction sites where it might take a worker hours to walk around to complete a field inspection.
DJI, Leica Geosystems & Aibotix Partner to Advance Aerial Adoption
This strategic partnership will bring together prominent technology portfolios to drive adoption of unmanned UAVs in the surveying and construction industries. Learn more about the collaboration…
3D Printing & Scanning
Lab Successfully 3D Prints an Excavator Cab
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory has completed a 3D print job for an excavator cab, one of three components that will be assembled into a fully operational excavator.
MIT’s New Software Makes Multi-Material 3D Printing Easy
MIT’s MultiFab printer can print using multiple materials at once, giving operators the ability to print complicated objects that have different materials in a variety of possible ways to give different parts of the object different properties.
New Software, Solutions & Programs
As the Note 7 Nears Death, Microsoft Paint Gets New Life
While Samsung is recalling all Note 7 phones, Microsoft is hoping to spark new life into Microsoft Paint. Check out this leaked video showcasing the revamped Microsoft Paint app.
WorkMax TIME by AboutTime Technologies Integrates with Vista by Viewpoint
WorkMax TIME’s integration with Vista by Viewpoint Construction Software streamlines data flow from the jobsite to the office and syncs employee timekeeping data into payroll and accounting for accurate costs.
Barriers to the Adoption of Construction Management Software
Learn about the factors that could make a difference between a slow or rapid adoption of modern management systems within the construction market.
Procore Adds 25 New Partner Integrations to App Marketplace
Procore users can now connect their construction project management efforts to BIM, push-to-talk, video & camera capabilities, and other construction technologies. New integrations include apps, such as Rhumbix, BusyBusy, Capital Construction Solutions, SmartVid.IO, Voice Layer and more.
Emerging Technology
EarthCam Presents New Method for Viewing Construction Jobsites
EarthCam presented EarthCam Air at the 2016 CMAA National Conference, which combines webcam imagery, UAV services, cloud-based storage solutions and distribution tools for insightful documentation.
Oculus Evolves, Announces Oculus Touch
Oculus Touch, the company’s “hand presence” controllers, finally allow Rift owners the ability to move beyond the gamepad and get their limbs involved. The controllers will start shipping December 2016.
Building Information Modeling (BIM)
How BIM Helped Save $20 Million on a Project
Learn how the use of BIM helped in creating value by bringing about huge cost reductions and fostering collaboration between 28 different teams.
BIM Igloo: Cross Between an IMAX Theater & VR Device
The “BIM Igloo,” described as a fully immersive 360-degree visualization platform, has allowed users to significantly reduce design work during the construction and handover period. Learn more about its benefits to the industry…
Steve Polich, Founder of Safety-Reports, Discusses Safety Management and Apps
In the second half of the podcast, Steve Polich, Founder of Safety-Reports joined the ConTechTrio to discuss safety management and apps. Steve grew up in Nebraska, graduating college with a business degree in hopes of someday becoming a business owner. While working for the National Safety Council of Nebraska as a site auditor, Steve discovered reporting challenges affecting the audit process and aimed to solve this productivity dilemma, ultimately creating Safety-Reports. Safety-Reports is an inspection management system that increases inspection frequency, improves safety performance and helps drive safety improvements. On the podcast, Steve discussed the primary benefits of safety management apps and the feedback he has received on the technology. The ConTechTrio and Steve wrapped up the interview by reviewing the future of safety management and apps in construction.
Tune into the ConTechTrio podcast again this Friday for Episode 39, featuring Ronan Collins, Executive Director at AECOM! 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 To Podcast: Spreaker, SoundCloud , YouTube, iTunes
Follow On Twitter:
JBKnowledge: @JBKnowledge
ConTechTrio: @ConTechTrio
James Benham: @jamesmbenham
Rob McKinney: @conappguru
Josh Bone: @bim2thebone
