Starting Off:
Last Friday, the ConTechTrio aired episode 39 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 the announcement of the JBKnowledge ConTech Roadshow, a 2016 VR comparison guide, surface clinging drones, shape-shifting homes, a national BIM guide for owners and much more! Special guest Ronan Collins (@Ronan_KL), Executive Director at AECOM (@AECOM), Malaysia also joined to discuss the demise of the BIM manager.
Geek Out Product Of The Week:
Amazon Echo – The Amazon Echo includes features, such as 360º omni-directional audio, hands-free voice control, Alexa Voice Service and more.
Weekly ConTechTrio Twitter Poll:
Last Week’s Poll: Do you use mobile apps to manage safety on construction projects?
This Week’s Poll: Who takes the lead on BIM in your projects? Visit the ConTechTrio Twitter page and choose from the following four answer choices: “The Trade Partner” “The GC/CM” “The Design Team” or “The Owner’s Representative”
ConTechTrio News:
Early Bird Registration Open for Our Atlanta ConTech Roadshow
We’re excited to announce that the JBKnowledge ConTech Roadshow will make its debut in Atlanta, Georgia on December 6, 2016! The one day event will be held from 8am to 6pm at the Georgia Tech Learning Center. We will have educational sessions lead by the ConTechTrio on emerging tech, strategies and best practices and if you’re a SmartBid user a special track for training and education on the software. Early bird pricing available now but limited!
Enter to Win Two Free Passes to Autodesk University 2016
Do you want to see the ConTechTrio live at Autodesk University this November? Complete the form and automatically enter to win a free pass to Autodesk University ($2,175 value)! We will select two winners that will receive each a complementary AU pass. (Contest ends November 4)
ConTechTrio Broadcast Live at Autodesk University 2016
Attending Autodesk University in November? The ConTechTrio will be doing a LIVE broadcast and also will be presenting about Managing Risk through Technology in Session CS20847.
Rob McKinney’s Guest Appearance on The FooJee Show
Check out The FooJee Show Episode 10, with special guest and ConAppGuru, Rob McKinney! Rob reviewed the best apps to use in the construction field and shared a couple of cool toys (or tools depending on your perspective)!
Construction Tech News:
Construction Videos
93 Year Old Bridge Refuses to Fall After Demolition Attempt
Watch this video that captures a 93 year old Broadway Bridge in Little Rock, Arkansas, that refused to fall even after it was lined with explosives.
Dubai Breaks Ground on World’s Tallest Building Set to Open in 2020
The Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour has officially broken ground and is expected to be completed by 2020. Initial reports are expecting the new building to be 3,045 feet (928m) tall, over 300 feet taller than the famed Burj Khalifa.
Augmented & Virtual Reality
VR Safety System Exposes Workers to Potential Jobsite Dangers
German researchers have created a way to use virtual reality (VR) technology to expose construction workers to hazardous jobsite situations before they arrive on the project.
2016 VR Comparison Guide
New Atlas compares the best VR headsets you can buy in 2016! Christmas is almost here…
Drones
Surface-Clinging Drone Created for Bridge Inspections
Prodrone, based in Tokyo, Japan, has released a self-propelling surface-clinging drone which is better able to inspect both ceilings and bridges.
3D Printing & Scanning
World’s First 3D Printed Hotel Suite
The suite is a two bedroom villa with a living room and a jacuzzi (also 3D printed), which will be part of The Lewis Grand Hotel in Angeles City, Pampagna.
Designer 3D Prints a 35mm Film Camera
The first fully 3D printed Single Lens Objective (SLO) camera designed and printed by Amos Dudle may not take the BEST photos in the world, but we don’t think that really matters.
New Software, Solutions & Programs
New CloudCities Release with Enhanced Editing Capabilities
CloudCities is an online program for visualizing, editing and publishing interactive 3D city models. The new version allows users the ability to take full control over their 3D content by adding, moving and transforming 3D properties.
Emerging Technology
Shape-Shifting Home Transforms to Suit the Weather
The Malleable Autonomous Retreat House is a conceptual box-like building made of hinged slotted panels that adapt to weather and other environmental conditions.
“Smart Skin” Detects Hidden Infrastructural Damage
Erik Thostenson and Thomas Schumacher developed a new approach to detecting hidden damage in bridges and roads. The carbon nanotube “smart skin” has the ability to adhere to almost any shape, including roadways and bridges, to monitor infrastructural health and deterioration.
Microsoft’s Speech Recognition Tech Is as Accurate as Humans
Microsoft’s new speech recognition technology is able to transcribe conversational speech as well as humans. The tech scored a word error rate (WER) of 5.9%, which was lower than the 6.3% WER reported in September.
Smartphone Sensor Detects Cancer in Several Samples Simultaneously
Researchers at Washington State University have created a portable spectrometer, which works with a smartphone to analyze multiple samples (eight at once) for signs of cancer!
Apple Partners with Homebuilders to Make Smart Houses
In the market for a new house…? Apple is working with homebuilders to integrate its technology into new houses to promote its HomeKit app that works with smart home items like internet-connected doorbells and window blinds.
Building Information Modeling (BIM)
National BIM Guide for Owners
The National Institute of Building Sciences developed a new BIM guide that owners can use to provide a documented process and procedure for their design team to follow in order to produce a standard set of BIM documents during the design and construction of the building.
Ronan Collins, Executive Director at AECOM, Malaysia Discusses the Demise of the BIM Manager
In the second half of the podcast, Ronan Collins, Executive Director at AECOM, Malaysia joined the ConTechTrio to discuss the demise of the BIM manager. Ronan grew up on the west coast of Ireland, graduating college with a civil engineering degree and a passion/fascination with the construction industry. Throughout his career, Ronan has implemented BIM services for large scale developments including airports, hotels, residential complexes, railway stations, educational facilities and complex industrial projects all around the world. While working in Hong Kong as a BIM/VDC Manager, he met his wife and decided to move to Malaysia to raise his son, ultimately landing his current position with AECOM. On the podcast, Ronan discussed the drivers behind the demise of the BIM manager position and how companies can transition away from this role. The ConTechTrio and Ronan wrapped up the interview by reviewing the new information manager position entering the industry and the future of BIM in construction.
Tune into the ConTechTrio podcast again this Friday for Episode 40, featuring Britton Langdo, Co-Founder of FabPro LLC! 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 the ConTechTrio Podcast on Spreaker, SoundCloud , YouTube, iTunes
Follow On Twitter:
JBKnowledge: @JBKnowledge
ConTechTrio: @ConTechTrio
James Benham: @jamesmbenham
Rob McKinney: @conappguru
Josh Bone: @bim2thebone
