- Spar 2009 is one of the most valuable conferences I have attended in a long time.
- The breadth of applications where laser scanning is making a difference is growing rapidly.
- Zebra Imaging’s holographic display technology was the most unique of all at the conference.
The pace did not slow at all from Day 1. Spar 2009 is one of the most power packed conferences I have attended in a long time. There is a tremendous amount of opportunity being uncovered in the sessions and on the exhibit floor. The venue is great and the service is invisible, and outstanding.
I moderated 2 sessions today. The first involved 2 geology based sessions and the third a relining of a water supply tunnel. Greg Stock explained how he was using both aerial and terrestrial scanning to better understand and document rock falls in Yosemite. Jody Lounsbury from Clough Harbor and Assoc. gave an impressive report on how laser scanning was used to support an extensive 3D construction stakeout in a large underground water supply tunnel. This was an impressive combination of laser scanning and 3D analysis that saved the contractor hundreds of thousands of dollars.
One of the mobile sessions included a detailed presentation from Bobby Tuck. As he showed his opening slide with a photo of a helicopter he said, “Now this is my version of mobile mapping”. Bobby does a lot of corridor work, and provided details on his QA/QC program. Perhaps the most impressive report was from a team made up of Terrapoint and Allen Nobles & Assoc. They compared the results from aerial, mobile, terrestrial and manual for the same highway project. The bottom line was most of the data came in with errors in the 0.03 to 0.05 foot range, with mobile being the fastest and most cost effective in terms of time and manpower.
In the other session that I moderated Arik Degani from Israel explained his business plan in detail, and cautioned the audience not to give away their expertise with free pilots. Paul Smith from earthmine encouraged members of the audience to join their just announced Partners Program. earthmine is in the large area mapping business creating metric panoramas. More on this in another post.
perhaps the most unique technology at the show was described by Michael Klug from Zebra Imaging, Inc. After listening intently for 45 minutes to Michael’s presentation I still could not picture what his 3D hardcopy holographic display technology was all about. All I can say is you have to see it to really appreciate it, but essentially they are creating the hardcopy digital version of a 3D physical model that you can walk around and look into. If you are trying to present a project in 3D this is a must technology.
I will be part of the group presenting on the status of our ASTM E57 committee work this morning. Too bad their is only a half a day left.
