Allpoint and Terrametrix jointly present case study involving the measurement of 7,250 bridges
Allpoint Systems officially releases its automated extraction and measurement system at the SPAR Europe conference in The Hague, Netherlands. SPAR is a leading 3D imaging and data management conference that includes the world’s best 3D hardware manufacturers, software developers, and service providers. The Allpoint technology enables surveyors, engineers, and transportation agencies to accurately and quickly inventory and analyze infrastructure assets such as bridges, signs, traffic signals, utility poles, power lines and more using 3D LiDAR (or laser) data. Allpoint Systems and Terrametrix, LLC, a leading 3D terrestrial mobile LiDAR scan (TMLS) service provider using the StreetMapper 360 laser mobile mapping system, will jointly present a case study on how Terrametrix uses Allpoint’s bridge clearance measurement application to process bridges at an order of magnitude faster than conventional methods. Terrametrix is currently using similar methods to document 7,250 bridges in the State of California for vertical and horizontal clearance.
The application is one of the first commercially available software processing systems using advanced robotic perception techniques. The bridge application is built on top of Allpoint’s Perception Engine ™, a set of statistical algorithms that batch process entire directories of 3D LiDAR point cloud data. The Perception Engine enables automation and makes possible data deliverables that would be difficult through manual processing. According to Allpoint’s CEO, Aaron Morris, “In robotics research, perception technologies use laser data to create an understanding of a robot’s surrounding environment. At Allpoint, we are applying those concepts to create a faster and more accurate way of handling 3D point clouds in surveying and engineering. With the advent of mobile acquisition systems, there is an opportunity to quickly and inexpensively find and extract value from the massive amounts of detailed data that expert surveyors like Terrametrix are collecting from 3D mobile LiDAR. Our system organizes data in a way that makes information production more efficient and satisfies engineering needs required for bridge clearance measurements.”
Michael Frecks, PLS, President of Terrametrix and an experienced surveyor and service provider of 3D terrestrial mobile laser scanning, will discuss how Terrametrix is a leader in providing bridge clearance services to US departments of transportation and how they use Allpoint to streamline and scale their workflow. During collection of 589 bridges in 2010, Terrametrix demonstrated the ability to meet project objectives at a time and cost not previously possible in the industry utilizing traditional surveying methods, all while maintaining the highest survey standards possible. Mr. Frecks, with 35 years of professional survey experience and 12 years experience in high tech 3D laser scanning as an innovator in the industry, said, ”the Allpoint technology eliminates time consuming and repetitive tasks so human resources are freed up for more value-based activities. It allows us to further leverage our expertise as professional surveyors and focus on the needs of our clients.”
The bridge measurement system is the second application Allpoint has built on top of its Perception Engine architecture in addition to a wastewater pipe inspection application. Leveraging the core system, Allpoint has developed other, new applications that map, model and measure important infrastructure such as signs, traffic lanes, traffic lights, utility poles and power lines. To date, Allpoint has processed over 1.5 Million linear feet of waste water pipes and thousands of miles of mobile LiDAR data.
About Allpoint
Allpoint makes 3D easy. Allpoint Systems, LLC is a software company that offers automated processing services as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product to engineers who work with laser data (LiDAR – “light detection and ranging”) to create engineering or architectural 3D models. 3D laser scanning is used in a vast number of applications (e.g., reverse engineering, as-built modeling, asset inventory) and industries (e.g., oil and gas, civil engineering, architecture). However, obtaining useful information from large-scale data sets requires a great deal of manual intervention. Allpoint’s core technology – automated point cloud processing algorithms – targets unnecessary cost and complexity found in laser scanning and 3D modeling workflows by automatically registering 3D scan data and extracting target objects in a fraction of the time as compared to existing methods (hours vs. months). For further information, see http://www.allpointsystems.com
About Terrametrix
Terrametrix, LLC is a professional survey technology based firm with experience that focuses on the safe efficient data collection of roadways, railroads, airports, coastal and streetscapes to support architects, engineers and surveyors. Experienced in accurate positional data documentation, the Terrametrix survey professionals are actively involved in the documentation and consulting of projects utilizing 3d laser scanners and software since 2000 and TMLS technology since 2007 Team experience in architectural, transportation and construction projects showed the need for more efficient documentation provided by the mobile mapping versatility as another tool in the toolbox. For further information, see http://www.terrametrix3d.com/
About StreetMapper
The world’s most accurate mobile mapping system provides measurements accurate to within 10mm. StreetMapper is a dynamic 3D mapping system that uses the very latest laser scanning technology combined with a precision navigation system, advanced data processing software and an innovative system design to scan highways, infrastructure, buildings and vegetation from a moving vehicle at highway speed. For further information, see http://www.streetmapper.net/
