Despite the coronavirus crisis and related economic fallout, there has been no shortage of innovative, tech-driven product releases for construction. Here are a few of the latest that their developers say can help contractors save time and money and impress clients.
SmartTrack
Project tracking software provider StructionSite has launched SmartTrack, an automated production tracking tool that applies artificial intelligence and photo recognition to imagery captured during site documentation to quantify the materials installed and the rate at which work is completed. SmartTrack makes tracking the installation of visible scopes-of-work an organized and seamless process, the company says.
StructionSite's first version of this product is geared toward drywall and framing trade partners, with SmartTrack for general contractors coming this fall. The company says the platform provides critical data to construction project teams on the installation rate of completion for drywall and framing, using the visual data from site documentation already captured on the jobsite.
Sentri360
Sentri360 from Everguard.ai alerts construction managers and workers in real time about potential safety hazards, including those presented by COVID-19. The firm says the application can ensure employees are wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and adhering to social distancing guidelines and can also perform skin temperature checks through advanced thermal imagery capabilities.
Sentri360’s multi-sensor inputs track workers through an industrial-grade wearable personal alert device. If an employee removes his or her mask for an extended period of time or gets closer than six feet to other workers, he or she will receive an alert reminding them of protocols. Managers are also alerted to enable post-event analysis and provide further health and safety coaching to employees.
SmartWorldPro2
Digital twins, 3D virtual replicas of physical buildings and infrastructure, can optimize a project's design, construction and operational performance over its entire lifecycle. The SmartWorldPro2 digital twin platform from Cityzenith is designed for professionals who design, construct and manage complex, large-scale building projects, properties and real estate portfolios.
The new version adds user-friendly digital twin-specific features and functions, expands data import and integration capabilities and extends the backend to include both SaaS and on-premise implementation options, the firm says. It also includes a presentation feature and a library of analytics and plug-ins.
The technology has been deployed on the $500 million Orlando Sports + Entertainment District in Florida.
GigapixelCam X2
EarthCam says its new GigapixelCam X2 robotic camera for jobsite monitoring, live streaming visualization and continuous security recording creates highly detailed 360-degree five gigapixel multilayered panoramas. The 4K live video can be streamed to multiple platforms, along with unlimited video clips that can be shared on demand. Up to 120 days can be continuously archived with the Edge Video Recorder featuring intelligent monitoring and motion detection alerts.
The high-quality still and video output from the GigapixelCam X2 also lends itself to a myriad of artificial intelligence (AI) analytic applications that are already being used; for example, to track jobsite activity, worker safety or to flag environmentally unfriendly waste in dumpsters, the firm says. The camera is mounted on an ultra-precise pan/tilt/zoom base and integrates with leading building information modeling (BIM) software programs.
Inertia Platform
Inertia Systems’ new Inertia Platform is a location-driven construction management platform that delivers a visual and map centric approach to manage complex construction. Project Maps, the core of the Inertia Platform, allows for a refocused view of each project site, connecting all available project information to exactly where it happens in the field, with a simplified look that brings the visualization front-and-center. Generated automatically based on designs, each record created in the platform is attached to its physical location on the project map and updated wherever designs change.
Inertia Platform utilizes patent-pending technology to connect information from every solution and team member (including contractors, owners, engineers and architects) throughout every phase in real time, ensuring all information stays connected and up to date throughout the construction process, according to the company.
Inertia Platform enables teams to predict project outcomes through comprehensive management workflows and tools, keeping jobsites in sync and informed on any device. Users include Turner Construction Co. and McCarthy Building Cos.
CrewMinders
Atlanta-based CrewMinders' new platform helps construction leaders communicate key health and safety messages to their employees. It allows employers to tailor messages, deliver safety content, receive feedback and identify gaps in employee health and safety training. The self-certification feature ensures that the employee is providing safety certification to the appropriate authority.
The platform’s analytics dashboard provides companies with insights into the effectiveness of their safety messages and facilitates a data-driven approach to changing the behavior of frontline employees to achieve safety goals, the firm says.