Construction is a multi-dimensional workplace. There are multiple tasks taking place in the construction jobsites that are not static. The technological adoption in the construction industry has accelerated in a comparatively very lesser pace compared to other sectors such as healthcare, entertainment, and others. But the expectations of the clients as well as the complexity of the projects are ever increasing. To meet the growing expectations and complexities, it becomes necessary to track every bit of progress in the construction jobsite. Moreover, after the COVID-19 pandemic many industries, including the AEC market, have integrated new technologies and altered workflows to operate virtually. One of the tech innovations that have gained popularity during the pandemic has been the use of 360° cameras for jobsite documentation and for showcasing complete projects via virtual tours.
What is 360° Camera?
The 360° camera is a small handy camera that can be easily carried by any site inspector while walking down the jobsite. It is a special AI enabled device that is built to achieve better accuracy of progress tracking in the construction jobsites enabling real-time monitoring. Thus, the 360° camera is a tech innovation that has eased the work of the site inspector in tracking the jobsite progress in a holistic manner from the first brick to the last breath.
What are the Top 5 Applications of 360° Camera in the Construction Sites?
In the present times, the 360° camera can be used for a significant number of purposes in the construction jobsite, of which the top 5 applications are as under:
360° Camera for Surveying Construction Plots
Before starting any construction project, accurate survey of the plot(s) of land for construction is very essential as well as critical. Using the 360° camera, the architect can get a vantage point from a range of higher elevations that can enable him to have multiple views, say the angle of the sun, the surrounding landscape, the position of the doors and the windows and the like, before breaking the ground.
360° Camera for Defect Checking in Construction Sites
Inspection is essential at different stages of construction to check any defect(s) in the jobsite. Generally, most of the construction companies rely on manual means for site inspection. Conventionally, the inspector walks down the jobsite and manually inspects the entire workplace to check any defect(s). However, this manual method is neither efficient nor smart, since there are immense possibilities that the inspector may miss any critical and minute detail(s) of the construction jobsite. However, such errors can be easily avoided using the smart AI enabled 360° camera. Merely carrying the camera during their walk down the jobsite is enough to capture critical details and identify and record any defect(s) in the construction jobsite.
360° Camera for Allocating Tools & Materials in Construction Sites
Lot of tools and materials are used in the construction site. These tools and materials are located and stored at different places. Moreover, huge amounts of materials are also left out during the construction process. Looking out for each material and tools manually, become utterly time-consuming for the contractors. However, the AI enabled 360° camera can ease this task as it is smart enough to identify and locate different tools and materials used in the construction jobsite and thus, save a lot of time.
Also Read: Top 5 Applications of Construction Robotics
360° Camera for Progress Tracking & Auto-Documentation of the Construction Site
Progress tracking and construction documentation are two essential yet critical tasks in construction jobsite. These tasks become even more complex in case of large-scale projects. Even today many construction companies rely on manual method for performing these tasks. But the manual method has several inherent loopholes, which can be easily avoided by using the smart AI enabled 360° camera. Merely carrying the camera during their walk down the jobsite is enough to capture critical details and track progress in the construction jobsite. Additionally, the camera is also smart enough to record these insights into the cloud-based repositories that can be easily viewed, modified, updated, and shared among the stakeholders.
360° Camera for Progress Sharing and Collaboration with the Teams
The smart 360° camera also helps different stakeholders to collaborate through all the stages of the product life cycle. The visual insights captured by the camera are simultaneously stored in the cloud-based repositories and instantly shared among the stakeholders who can view these smart insights anytime and comment directly on the images regarding any changes that need to be made. This reduces the number of trips to the site and in turn eliminates delays.
What is viAct’s 360° Progress Tracking Camera?
viAct’s 360° progress tracking camera is a special AI enabled device build for better accuracy of progress tracking in the construction jobsite. What differentiates this camera from other technologies used in construction jobsite for progress monitoring is its unique wall texture classification algorithms preceded by wall segmentation algorithms. Thus, viAct’s 360° progress tracking camera is a tailor-made device for preventing tons of manual documentation in the construction jobsite and to enable real-time alerts with lesser efforts for ensuring better transparency in the workflow.