watchstrap hi-tech
The potential of new technology will only be fully utilised if contractors and site workers are given the necessary training but, even then, it cannot be expected to be the panacea to all engineering challenges.
That was the overriding view to emerge from a straw poll of HBPW’s engineers following comments by leading ‘futurologist’ Fran Rabuck, director of technology research at Bentley Systems in the US and also a member of Global Advisory Council for the World Future Society.
He recently set out his vision as to how new hi-tech products in development will improve the way infrastructure projects are delivered, commenting that the industry had not been the quickest to adopt technology.
But, when quizzed about Rabuck’s views, HBPW engineers said the ‘coal-face’ reality was often very different.
Partner Jon Livesey said: “If you think about what many people on site actually do, they are working with timber and reinforced steel, often in the rain. Imagine trying to enlarge a drawing on an iPad with your gloves on or when a piece of metal has smashed its way through your tablet screen!”
And, whilst Ross Hardy was quick to praise the advent of Cloud Point Laser Surveys – a sophisticated machine produces a 3d image of a building, bridge or structure in a fraction of the time taken using more traditional methods – he also expressed caution in other areas.
“Construction sites are dirty, weather can be inclement and just as you are going through a drawing on a tablet you don’t want to find yourself in the position where your iPad is powering down due to lack of battery! Hard copy A1 drawings are hard to beat and it’s easy to get another if it becomes spoilt by the rain. You can also get the entire picture at one glance using a piece of paper, without the need to scroll across a never ending drawing!”
Partner Paul Monaghan, said: “I would argue that technology, in its purest form, is brilliant and capable of delivering so much, however, from a practical standpoint, many would concur that it is currently far too powerful for many of the people charged with using it. Either technology training has to be improved or there has to be a balance between using those elements we are already comfortable with, alongside some of the proven, but more traditional methods of construction, A1
iPhone technology – part of the solution
hard copy drawings for instance!”
Frank Rabuck maintains that whilst the iPad has kickstarted the industry’s interest in technology, the picture in 5-10 years could be very different with construction workers on site using devices on their wrists to give them information about a task.
“This will link into building information models and drawings and I’m also pretty sure we will see digital pens, allowing workers to make very fine markings on drawings at pixel level while they are working on site.”