Designing Buildings - User contributions [en]

Stockpile Reports Lite iPhone app

2017-09-28T10:29:16Z

Stockpile Reports: Created page with "The UK construction industry is a huge sector. Employing around 1.3 million people it is worth around [http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:8wjgmsQvNIsJ:researchb..."

The UK construction industry is a huge sector. Employing around 1.3 million people it is worth around [http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:8wjgmsQvNIsJ:researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN06623/SN06623.pdf+&cd=15&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk £102 billion per annum], 6% of all UK economic output. To keep its place as the third largest UK industry, the construction industry must constantly evolve – and it is constantly doing so. Adopting new technologies, particularly when it comes to mobile devices, will help to dramatically improve efficiency, reduce costs and speed up projects.

In a construction company, construction managers have much to keep track of: workforce, subcontractors, equipment, quotes and regulations. But with the help of digitisation and mobile technology, construction professionals can manage all processes, employees and keep track of the progress of all their projects.

With smart phones and tablets carried in almost every pocket, mobile solutions enabling real-time information to be collected and distributed is changing the face of the construction industry. Construction professionals now have access to GPS and drones, allowing hard to reach areas to be mapped out and surveyed. From [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building_information_modeling#United_Kingdom Building Information Modelling (BIM)] generating 3D representations of a building and combining it with a construction schedule, to smartphone apps which can measure stockpile amounts simply by pointing the phone at the pile and walking around it, digitisation has forever changed the face of the construction industry.

The ability to share data, on-site images, videos and audio quickly and easily throughout a team keeps everyone involved in a project closely connected. Communication is dramatically improved as team members can manage and access project documents, review images and connect easily from almost any location.

Mobile technology boosts productivity in the construction sector. Using mobile solutions, workers are no longer tied to paper work and data entry so are free to use their energy in more constructive areas. Information on contractors, construction progress or incidents can reduce overall project delays and keep projects on track.

There are now even quickly downloaded apps which can save businesses thousands of pounds and dramatically speed up projects at the touch of a button. One such app is in the area stockpile measurement. This has traditionally taken considerable time, money and effort. Accurate measurement reports are crucial and getting it wrong can mean thousands, if not millions of pounds lost, unaccounted for or written off. It can even lead to disputes and a long, costly road to resolution.

Traditional measurement teams, which can be costly, use techniques such as drilling into stockpiles and LiDAR laser measurement equipment to gauge the volume of material. It is as significant financial outlay. But innovative technology has delivered a game changing solution.

Any stockpile can now be quantified by using the new Stockpile Reports Lite iPhone app. It allows construction professionals to measure piled material by simply pointing an iPhone at the material and walking around it. The app captures high resolution imagery that is then uploaded to the cloud and processed to generate a report. Independent tests have shown the measurements to be within 1% to 2% of LiDAR (laser measurement) surveys. Designed to work with free-standing stockpiles up to 3,000 cubic metres, it takes just a couple of minutes to measure and results are auto-generated quickly. Once on the purchase screen, construction workers can simply select the amount of measurements they would like to purchase and go through the check out process. The measurement results are accessible quickly, for a small fraction of the typical cost and well before the time it would take a measurement crew to arrive on-site.

The adoption of new mobile technology is driving the construction industry forward. Businesses can potentially save thousands of pounds by introducing new mobile solutions into everyday tasks, linking the workforce, increasing productivity and speeding up tasks like never before.

[[Category:Research_/_Innovation]] [[Category:Construction_management]] [[Category:Cost_/_business_planning]]

Measuring stockpiles using image-based 3D reconstruction

2017-09-18T09:07:53Z

Stockpile Reports:

[[File:Point-cloud-with-camera-positions.jpg]]Measuring stockpiles of material has traditionally taken considerable time, money and effort. Accurate measurement reports are crucial to finance and accounting – and getting it wrong can mean money lost, unaccounted for or written off. It can even lead to disputes and a long, costly road to resolution.

Traditional surveying and measurement teams, which can take time and cost to secure and transport to site, use techniques such as drilling into stockpiles and LiDAR laser measurement equipment to gauge the volume of material. However, iPhone technology has delivered a solution for civil engineers, builders and the wider aggregate industry.

Any stockpile can now be quantified by using the [http://www.stockpilereportslite.com/ Stockpile Reports Lite iPhone] app. It allows professionals to measure piled material themselves by simply pointing an iPhone at the material and walking around it. The measurement results are accessible right away, for a small fraction of the typical cost and well before the time it would take a measurement crew to even show up.

The innovation was born out of the developers' (URC Ventures) work with the large enterprise construction materials industry around the world since 2012, with their inventory management platform and patented measurement technology. URC Ventures solves large-scale industry challenges through the real time digitisation of the physical world. With the drastic improvements in mobile phone camera technology, combined with computer vision and machine learning, and with the exponential growth in processing power, we are able to make a simple, low-cost, easy to use solution available to the entire market.

The enterprise inventory management version, Stockpile Reports, from which the Stockpile Reports Lite app has been developed, is image based and uses 3-D reconstruction to accurately measure stockpiles. It was an executive of an aggregates producer who gave them the idea to develop the Stockpile Reports technology, which is now a successful product used in 25 countries across the globe.

[[File:Measuring-with-device2.jpg]]

Before Stockpile Reports arrived, the standard practice in the aggregates industry was to call out a measurement team or surveyors once a year, twice a year, or even quarterly. This is extremely costly and few sites can afford to have a team on hand or hire an outside firm frequently. So they have to estimate, often very inaccurately, and when they do get it measured there is a big difference.

How it works

After downloading the app, users simply point the iPhone camera at the surface of the pile and walk around its perimeter. The app captures high resolution imagery that is then uploaded to the cloud and processed to generate a report. Independent tests have shown the measurements to be within 1% to 2% of LiDAR (laser measurement) surveys. It only takes a couple of minutes to measure and your results are auto-generated quickly. Once you are on the purchase screen, select the amount of measurements you would like to purchase and go through the 'checkout' process.

Once you make a purchase, you are now ready to measure. You can re-measure a pile as many times as you want as you won’t consume that measurement until you tap the ‘Accept Measurement’ button. When your measurement is uploaded and processed you will see that it is in a ‘Ready for Approval’ state. You can examine the 3D model, play back the video of your measurement, and decide whether or not to keep it. If you don’t like it, you are free to measure again. There is no additional charge. If you like what you see, you just tap the ‘Accept Measurement’ button and the final measurement volume will be revealed.

[[File:Connectivity-diagram.jpg]]

The benefits are numerous: fights over the amount of material bought, sold, produced, or delivered have been a long-standing battle in the industry. Resolving those disputes requires bringing in measurement crews, taking days, and often costing £1,000.

Companies who need to scale inventory management across their entire operation can upgrade to an enterprise version, giving unlimited user accounts, unlimited measurements, the ability to measure larger piles, bunkered material measurements, carry out aerial measurements via drone, and managing all the data and insights across all their locations.

[[Category:Research_/_Innovation]] [[Category:Standards_/_measurements]] [[Category:Construction_management]] [[Category:Cost_/_business_planning]]

File:Point-cloud-with-camera-positions.jpg

2017-09-18T09:05:29Z

Stockpile Reports:

File:Measuring-with-device2.jpg

2017-09-18T09:04:52Z

Stockpile Reports:

File:Connectivity-diagram.jpg

2017-09-18T09:03:26Z

Stockpile Reports:

Measuring stockpiles using image-based 3D reconstruction

2017-09-18T09:02:20Z

Stockpile Reports:

Measuring stockpiles of material has traditionally taken considerable time, money and effort. Accurate measurement reports are crucial to finance and accounting – and getting it wrong can mean money lost, unaccounted for or written off. It can even lead to disputes and a long, costly road to resolution.

Traditional surveying and measurement teams, which can take time and cost to secure and transport to site, use techniques such as drilling into stockpiles and LiDAR laser measurement equipment to gauge the volume of material. However, iPhone technology has delivered a solution for civil engineers, builders and the wider aggregate industry.

Any stockpile can now be quantified by using the [http://www.stockpilereportslite.com/ Stockpile Reports Lite iPhone] app. It allows professionals to measure piled material themselves by simply pointing an iPhone at the material and walking around it. The measurement results are accessible right away, for a small fraction of the typical cost and well before the time it would take a measurement crew to even show up.

The innovation was born out of the developers' (URC Ventures) work with the large enterprise construction materials industry around the world since 2012, with their inventory management platform and patented measurement technology. URC Ventures solves large-scale industry challenges through the real time digitisation of the physical world. With the drastic improvements in mobile phone camera technology, combined with computer vision and machine learning, and with the exponential growth in processing power, we are able to make a simple, low-cost, easy to use solution available to the entire market.

The enterprise inventory management version, Stockpile Reports, from which the Stockpile Reports Lite app has been developed, is image based and uses 3-D reconstruction to accurately measure stockpiles. It was an executive of an aggregates producer who gave them the idea to develop the Stockpile Reports technology, which is now a successful product used in 25 countries across the globe.

Before Stockpile Reports arrived, the standard practice in the aggregates industry was to call out a measurement team or surveyors once a year, twice a year, or even quarterly. This is extremely costly and few sites can afford to have a team on hand or hire an outside firm frequently. So they have to estimate, often very inaccurately, and when they do get it measured there is a big difference.

How it works

After downloading the app, users simply point the iPhone camera at the surface of the pile and walk around its perimeter. The app captures high resolution imagery that is then uploaded to the cloud and processed to generate a report. Independent tests have shown the measurements to be within 1% to 2% of LiDAR (laser measurement) surveys. It only takes a couple of minutes to measure and your results are auto-generated quickly. Once you are on the purchase screen, select the amount of measurements you would like to purchase and go through the 'checkout' process.

Once you make a purchase, you are now ready to measure. You can re-measure a pile as many times as you want as you won’t consume that measurement until you tap the ‘Accept Measurement’ button. When your measurement is uploaded and processed you will see that it is in a ‘Ready for Approval’ state. You can examine the 3D model, play back the video of your measurement, and decide whether or not to keep it. If you don’t like it, you are free to measure again. There is no additional charge. If you like what you see, you just tap the ‘Accept Measurement’ button and the final measurement volume will be revealed.

The benefits are numerous: fights over the amount of material bought, sold, produced, or delivered have been a long-standing battle in the industry. Resolving those disputes requires bringing in measurement crews, taking days, and often costing £1,000.

Companies who need to scale inventory management across their entire operation can upgrade to an enterprise version, giving unlimited user accounts, unlimited measurements, the ability to measure larger piles, bunkered material measurements, carry out aerial measurements via drone, and managing all the data and insights across all their locations.

[[Category:Research_/_Innovation]] [[Category:Standards_/_measurements]] [[Category:Construction_management]] [[Category:Cost_/_business_planning]]

Measuring stockpiles using image-based 3D reconstruction

2017-09-18T09:01:22Z

Stockpile Reports: Created page with "Measuring stockpiles of material has traditionally taken considerable time, money and effort. Accurate measurement reports are crucial to finance and accounting – and getting i..."

Measuring stockpiles of material has traditionally taken considerable time, money and effort. Accurate measurement reports are crucial to finance and accounting – and getting it wrong can mean money lost, unaccounted for or written off. It can even lead to disputes and a long, costly road to resolution.

Traditional surveying and measurement teams, which can take time and cost to secure and transport to site, use techniques such as drilling into stockpiles and LiDAR laser measurement equipment to gauge the volume of material. However, iPhone technology has delivered a solution for civil engineers, builders and the wider aggregate industry.

Any stockpile can now be quantified by using the Stockpile Reports Lite iPhone app. It allows professionals to measure piled material themselves by simply pointing an iPhone at the material and walking around it. The measurement results are accessible right away, for a small fraction of the typical cost and well before the time it would take a measurement crew to even show up.

The innovation was born out of the developers' (URC Ventures) work with the large enterprise construction materials industry around the world since 2012, with their inventory management platform and patented measurement technology. URC Ventures solves large-scale industry challenges through the real time digitisation of the physical world. With the drastic improvements in mobile phone camera technology, combined with computer vision and machine learning, and with the exponential growth in processing power, we are able to make a simple, low-cost, easy to use solution available to the entire market.

The enterprise inventory management version, Stockpile Reports, from which the Stockpile Reports Lite app has been developed, is image based and uses 3-D reconstruction to accurately measure stockpiles. It was an executive of an aggregates producer who gave them the idea to develop the Stockpile Reports technology, which is now a successful product used in 25 countries across the globe.

Before Stockpile Reports arrived, the standard practice in the aggregates industry was to call out a measurement team or surveyors once a year, twice a year, or even quarterly. This is extremely costly and few sites can afford to have a team on hand or hire an outside firm frequently. So they have to estimate, often very inaccurately, and when they do get it measured there is a big difference.

How it works

After downloading the app, users simply point the iPhone camera at the surface of the pile and walk around its perimeter. The app captures high resolution imagery that is then uploaded to the cloud and processed to generate a report. Independent tests have shown the measurements to be within 1% to 2% of LiDAR (laser measurement) surveys. It only takes a couple of minutes to measure and your results are auto-generated quickly. Once you are on the purchase screen, select the amount of measurements you would like to purchase and go through the 'checkout' process.

Once you make a purchase, you are now ready to measure. You can re-measure a pile as many times as you want as you won’t consume that measurement until you tap the ‘Accept Measurement’ button. When your measurement is uploaded and processed you will see that it is in a ‘Ready for Approval’ state. You can examine the 3D model, play back the video of your measurement, and decide whether or not to keep it. If you don’t like it, you are free to measure again. There is no additional charge. If you like what you see, you just tap the ‘Accept Measurement’ button and the final measurement volume will be revealed.

The benefits are numerous: fights over the amount of material bought, sold, produced, or delivered have been a long-standing battle in the industry. Resolving those disputes requires bringing in measurement crews, taking days, and often costing £1,000.

Companies who need to scale inventory management across their entire operation can upgrade to an enterprise version, giving unlimited user accounts, unlimited measurements, the ability to measure larger piles, bunkered material measurements, carry out aerial measurements via drone, and managing all the data and insights across all their locations.

[[Category:Research_/_Innovation]] [[Category:Standards_/_measurements]] [[Category:Construction_management]] [[Category:Cost_/_business_planning]]