Last Friday, the #ConTechTrio aired episode 1.18 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 Procore’s integration with HoloLens, a 3D printed office building, BIM news and much more! Special guest Arman Gukasyan, CEO and Founder of @Revizto also joined to discuss BIM technology.
The show kicked off with a Memorial Day tribute to those who have served and defended our country. In JBKnowledge news, James Benham announced that the #ConTechTrio Podcast is now available on Spreaker, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Youtube, Soundcloud, TuneIn and Amazon Echo (Alexa)! In other podcast news, @Constrjunkie has opened the floor to nominee suggestions for its “Best Construction Podcast of 2016 Contest,” voting dates will be announced after the nomination period closes. Construction Junkie also shared a hilarious video of a skid steer operator picking up a legally parked SUV and moving it out of the way, for some reason. In regards to construction technology, @BeckTechnology launched DESTINI Estimator 2016 2.0, featuring integrated 2D and 3D takeoff, Navisworks integration for 3D takeoff and model comparison views.
@Gizmag reported that engineers from the University of Michigan have developed software, inspired from the 2008 Batman movie, that could bring touch sensitivity to all phones – and not just through their screens. James went on to note that the @SkyCatch Commander App, which turns a DJI drone into a professional mapping tool, is free for a limited time! Also discussed on the podcast, a collaborative project in Germany has successfully transmitted data at a speed of 6Gbpgs over radio transmission. The transmission was done over a 36.7km distance.
@EquipmentShare, an online marketplace for construction equipment, has managed to raise $5.5M to develop new software and fund expansive efforts. Our friends over at @Builtworlds are counting down the days until the engineering students from Northwestern University (the BuiltWorldsNU team) unveil and demonstrate their concrete 3D printer prototype – check out its progress. Google made headlines again this week with their ability to control a LG Urbane smartwatch with radar-powered finger gestures. Basically, Google is trying to create a whole new gesture language for everyday home devices.
Also in the news, @ProcoreTech developed an integration with the MS HoloLens and released videos of potential uses for multiple AEC disciplines. Dubai unveiled the world’s first 3D printed office building, which is the first completed project under its 3D printing initiative. In the world of public transportation, the first-ever Automatic Train Operation technology was revealed and will be utilized to operate the Orange Line Metro Train.
These exciting industry developments, however, were followed by unfortunate industry statistics. @ConstructDive reported that construction companies represent 60% of OSHA’s Severe Violators program – showing that this is an issue we can no longer ignore. On a happier note, check out the new shreddin’ teardrop and other off-road camping trailers from this year’s Overland Expo – it’s sure to provide a great “Geek Out” sesh.
The Trio also discussed two videos showcasing HoloLense applications, which included the use of digital fabrication data and BrickSimple’s “HoloHelper” that allows someone to mark stud by saying “stud.” @ENRNews announced its 2016 Top 400 Contractors list. A new 3D pen called Lix was also highlighted on the podcast, which is the smallest circular 3D printing pen in the world. @TechCrunch reported that AR/VR is “the new hotness,” with $1.7 billion invested in VCs in the 12 months leading to March 2016. Lastly, @Microsoft and @Facebook plan to launch a 4,100-mile cable across the Atlantic Ocean, capable of hurtling data under the ocean at speeds of 160 Terabits per second.
In the second half of the podcast, @ArmanGukasyan, CEO and Founder of Revizto, joined the #ConTechTrio to discuss the democratization of BIM. Arman opened up the conversation with his thoughts on how to overcome BIM integration hurdles within the construction industry. He later went on to highlight the new features incorporated within Revizto 4.0. Arman and the #ConTechTrio concluded their discussion highlighting the future plans of the Revizto app, which included optimizing for mobile and file size, and integration with AR/VR.
Tune into the #ConTechTrio podcast again this Friday for Episode 1.19 with special guest Andy Jansen from Hard Hat Hub to discuss the challenging role of technology in construction HR. 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 iTunes
Listen to the ConTechTrio Podcast on Spreaker
Listen to the ConTechTrio Podcast on SoundCloud
Listen to the ConTechTrio Podcast on YouTube
