Photos Courtesy Atheer A worker wearing Atheer AiR Smart Glasses can interact with and manipulate floating images of virtual 3D designs and environments by using a depth camera and gesture technology, built into the headset and tethered to a processing pack. Related Links: Air DK2 Devkit Collaboration Technology for Construction Sees Rapid Improvements Augmented interactive reality glasses controlled by head and hand gestures now are available as a developer kit. The technology has the potential to help workers interact with 3D drawings and live-stream video.CTO Atheer Labs' AiR DK2 glasses and operating system are "closer to a mobile version of

Photo by David J. Odeh Odeh engineers work in early June with project collaborators from TRC Cos. to coordinate the design for an electrical substation. Related Links: Odeh Engineers Scalable Display Technologies Fully appreciating the implications of design alternatives for a major structure can take a great deal of analysis and an even greater ability to visualize changes. One Rhode Island structural engineering firm finds the stakes high enough that it has developed its conference space into a 10-projector BIM immersion room for collaboration with as many as 40 people."We realized BIM could be supercharged by creating a room where

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) were developed in the 70’s for military. Commercial application lagged behind because of the specialized skills required, the cost and regulations required to operate drones for private business. A reduction in cost and size of component parts, advances in battery technology and software development over the past several years has opened up the drone industry to business to leverage automation like never before with drones. Today there are many commercial and construction applications for drones, all of which await government regulation to catch up. Drones on today’s construction sites are used to capture information about ongoing work

Courtesy ASCE App sends ASCE infrastructure grades to elected officials. Related Links: Data Updates to U.S. Infrastructure Report-Card App ASCE Report Card Shows Slight Improvement in Nation's Infrastructure Health A new app allows users to see what letter grades infrastructure in their state received in the American Society of Civil Engineers' report card. Users can send the grade, along with photos and statistics, to local and federal representatives."Elected officials say their phones are not ringing with people talking about the failing infrastructure," says Emily Feenstra , ASCE's director of infrastructure initiatives, in Washington, D.C. "We need to elevate this message."The

Photo Courtesy Luke Yoder This aerial robot builds a 3D model of its surroundings, while flying autonomously within a predetermined bounding box. Related Links: The ARIA Project Researchers have developed an unmanned aerial vehicle that can fly itself. Taking 3D scans of its surroundings, the drone can process that data fast enough to navigate in real time, without hitting objects. The scans are accurate enough to use for other purposes, too, such as infrastructure inspection.Typically, inspectors visit a site every 12 to 18 months and generate handwritten notes that vary in detail and accuracy according to the inspector, says Daniel

Related Links: Bentley Connect Edition Looking to capitalize on recent advances in cloud computing, software maker Bentley Systems launched the Connect edition of its design suite at its 2015 Connections event, held in Philadelphia on May 18-19. First announced in November 2014, the Connect edition of Bentley's popular software, including Microstation and Navigator, will be available to Bentley subscribers in an early access program rolling out this summer.BENTLEYCEO Greg Bentley explains that the Connect edition combines a common modeling environment with a common project-performance environment and a common asset-performance environment. Tapping the Microsoft Azure cloud service, the system "extends beyond

Courtesy: SkySync SkySync migrates, copies and syncs files across multiple platforms and networks. A coming update will allow users to search and organize that data, as well. A Windows-based application that synchronizes files across cloud platforms, internal corporate networks and most data-storage systems is releasing a new version this summer that allows administrators to manage operations at a desktop level. A second update, scheduled for release late this year, makes data on all the platforms searchable.Joseph Lombardi, a superintendent with Boston-based Shawmut Design and Construction, was introduced to SkySync when his company won a $200-million contract and needed to expand the technology it

 Integration of information technologies has allowed every U.S. industry achieve notable productivity gains over the last 40 years. In construction however, productivity has remained essentially unchanged, despite an increasing usage of technology, reports a design and construction white paper. To be effective, a company must incorporate three distinct pieces: adopt, embrace, and invest in technology if they want to take advantage of all of the “horsepower” it makes available.  Adoption of technology is increasing and accelerating in the industry. The JB Knowledge Construction Technology Report indicates that over 40% of construction professionals use four or more different software/programs every day, and

Courtesy Procore technologies inc. Chris Karcher, software engineer at Procore Technologies Inc., writes down some user-submitted product ideas that will be built into a prototype of the company's budget-forecasting tool. Related Links: No App for That? Build It Already a User? Sign up for Procore's API Two hundred companies on May 4-6 attended a sold-out Procore Technologies Inc. user conference at the construction-management firm's headquarters in Carpinteria, Calif. Users lined up to learn about new releases."I wanted this to be different than any other conference by eliminating all the selling that usually goes on," says Tooey Courtemanche, CEO and founder

Related Links: FAA 333 Petitions Commercial Drone Operators Take Flight for Construction As the number of firms approved to commercially operate unmanned aircraft systems in the U.S. increases, so do these companies' UAS demands, leading some to seek experienced European manufacturers or partner with automated-flight firms.Getting approval under Section 333 of the 2012 Federal Aviation Administration's Modernization and Reform Act isn't the easiest thing, says Russ Metzler, director of UAS services at Asymmetric Technologies, Columbus, Ohio. "It's not egregious but a little frustrating," he says. "You search the 333 document and find the parts that apply to you and justify