BSA Committee on Design Software
14. Photogrametrics, site / building measurement software
Photogrametrics to Create 3D from Photos :
Canoma = http://www.canoma .com
PhotoModeler = http://www.photomodeler .com
PhotoModeler Lite is a free download)
Cyrax Site Surveying - laser scanner to 3D CADD dxf file = http://www.cyra.com
Leica Measuring Device = http://www.leica-geosystems.com/product/level2.asp?o0=100
Note : Cyra was recently acquired by Leica 12/2000
Cigraph Housemap = http://www.cigraph.com/
Cigraph Pocket Housemap = http://www.cigraph.com/
Leica measuring device (Pocket HM compatible)
GPS Accuracy: Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics = http://www.gpsworld.com/columns/9805innov.html
GPS Site Surveying = http://www.eaglegpssurvey.com
3D Builder
Kaon acquired 3DConstruction Company, whose 3D Builder software creates 3D models of real world data from photographs. Kaon hopes to make the creation of 3D photorealistic models for the Web their primary revenue source. Until recently, Kaon distributed a browser plug-in to view 3D models created with their software. The company found it too difficult to distribute a plug-in, and ported it to a 33KB Java applet, which you can experience at http://www.kaon.com. Note the applet's ability to measure distances. According to Kaon's Rich Silton, "Multiple users will be able to share, annotate, and chat. CAD models can be simply imported into our viewer using our Activate tool, which is also free."
AEC Tech Article about Engineering software and site measurement :
June 3, 2000 -- A/E/C SYSTEMS, GPS Site Surveying, Cyrax Site Surveying, Photogrametrics to Create 3D from Photos, O2C Visualization for 3D Objects, TiVo, COFES2000, Building Energy Analysis XML, Macintosh and Engineers, Dr. Frame/3D
User Comments :
Date: 26 Dec 2000
From: Mike Thue <mthue@classic-restorations.com>
Subject: HouseMap / Field Measurement
Is anyone out there using Cigraph's Housemap or Pocket Housemap? We
just got a Leica measuring device (the next best thing to sliced bread,
if you don't have one) and I see that Pocket HM is compatible. Any comments? Mike Thue
Date: 26 Dec 2000
From: Richard Morrison <richard@superstudent.com>
Subject: Re: Leica Measuring Device
Try this: http://www.leica-geosystems.com/product/level2.asp?o0=100
I've got one of these and they are amazing. It's basically a handheld laser
that with the press of a button will give you a wall-to-wall readout that
that's accurate to something like 3-4mm in 100m. (1/4" in 300' approx.)
It'll shoot through doors and small openings. It will measure existing
buildings in a small fraction of the time that a tape measuring process
would take, and is far more accurate.
Date: 27 Dec 2000
From: Wegman <thewegs@bigpond.com>
Subject: Measuring device
Richard
Is it like a sonic tape? I've got a Bosch sonic tape but it is accurate to only 2
decimal places - ie 10mm in 1000mm and only woks between parallel surfaces. Great for
interiors! Yours sounds more accurate but can it be used for exteriors
also? KeesW
Date: 27 Dec 2000
From: Mike Thue <mthue@classic-restorations.com>
Subject: Leica Laser Measuring
Leica is a well-respected manufacturer of rifle scopes, binoculars, and range
finders. They make several products under the trade name "Disto". You shoot a
laser beam at a target and it reports the distance, like the military uses
lasers to 'paint' a target for a smart bomb.
These are a lot better than the sonar-technology based products that have been
on the market for years, because the sonar devices were only accurate to 10%
+-, I gather. (I know there was some gross degree of deviation that made them
worthless for anything but quick estimation.) The Leica gives accurate
measurements down to the 1/16th inch, not bad for a field tolerance. (I can
rarely get AC to measure this accurately. Haha).
I will let your imagination run wild, but some of the uses we have found for this is in easily reading high ceiling heights, floor to floor heights and other dimeansions like eave and cornice heights which might be out of reach; also spot elevations, quickly trigging out roof slopes, etc., etc. No more frustrating tape on a blustery day. The one drawback is that at about 30', the red dot becomes really, really hard to see from the back of the meter, especially if its bright and sunny out if you are doing exterior measurements. For this reason, a 'spotter' is helpful to let you know you are on the target you are trying to measure; also a clip board or some other way to make sure you are relatively plumb on those hard to reach spots. The meter reads in single measurements, but will also sum individual measurements as you go.
Short story: we have cut our audit time to about 1/3 of what it was. Well worth the $700 US.
Now I see Cigraph, the makers of ArchiForma, have a product for Palms that links up with the Leica devices to input room sizes into some sort of AC compatible format right on site. The nature of my question was as to whether anyone has had any experience with this, or with the desktop version of Housemap. I recall seeing a posting once before. the links to both products are:
http://www.leica-geosystems.com/ look for DISTO
http://www.cigraph.com/ search their product list for HouseMap
I would be interested in hearing your thoughts. Mike Thue, CLASSIC RESTORATIONS, INC.
also see Handheld CADD