Landscape Architect Articles

LASN Technology June, 200306-01-03 | News

Keeping an Eye on the Job?EUR??,,????'??+Without Being There

By Sean Stowell

The Pocket PC allows the user to send images from a project site to a Landscape Architect?EUR??,,????'???s office for approval on an alteration, or for clarification on a specific plan.

If you are concerned about how a project is going, but you can?EUR??,,????'???t be there in person you usually pick up the phone and call. That inevitably leads to confusion, as you try to visualize what is going on.

Well, the guess work can be taken out of the equation because new wireless technology that allows you to not only see what is going on but allows you to make suggestions right to a photo. The system is called PhotoTrek?EUR??,,????<

?EUR??,,????'??Let?EUR??,,????'???s say a berm or a sand trap is being built on a golf course,?EUR??,,????'?? said Stephen Serpe, President of Poser Systems. ?EUR??,,????'??Placement may be altered because of terrain and an opinion is needed, but they can?EUR??,,????'???t get in touch with anybody so they just say ?EUR??,,????'??We?EUR??,,????'???ll put it here,?EUR??,,????'??? and with this system the architect can get this information instantaneously wherever he is.?EUR??,,????'??

The SD chip, which is about the size of a thumb, transfers images from a digital camera to the Pocket PC. Image quality goes as high as 640×480.

Another benefit of this system is for a Landscape Architect that does jobs in several states. Say for instance there is a question on this same golf course about the irrigation system, and the LA can?EUR??,,????'???t get there because the job?EUR??,,????'???s location, this system can get an image over to the office and the situation can be rectified.

?EUR??,,????'??A very detailed photograph can be taken of that particular issue and it can be sent to the architect for his opinion and corrective judgment,?EUR??,,????'?? Serpe said. ?EUR??,,????'??Right then and there he can sign off on it with our Digital Scribble, it is then documented and it?EUR??,,????'???s done.?EUR??,,????'??

Get the Camera Ready

In order to make this process work, you?EUR??,,????'???ll need a digital camera with an SD chip, which is like a mini floppy disc that is about the size of your thumb. The SD chip is then transferred to the Pocket PC unit, where it integrates with a desktop PC.

?EUR??,,????'??We are working on some technology that will bring some unification of the camera unit with the unit,?EUR??,,????'?? Serpe said ?EUR??,,????'??But with any technological development it?EUR??,,????'???s just oodles and oodles of time to get everything worked out before production.?EUR??,,????'??

Just Like Madden!

Have you ever wanted to scribble on the screen like John Madden does on Monday Night Football? It seems like a lot of fun. When the system takes a picture you can then use the scribble feature to give notes and directions. Let?EUR??,,????'???s go back to the golf course we talked about earlier. If the location of a sand trap is in question, a picture of the location, along with any terrain concerns is sent to the LA?EUR??,,????'???s system who then scrawls out on the picture where the sand trap will go.

The Digital Scribble feature allows the Landscape Architect to specifically pinpoint the area where plant material, or other materials, should be placed. Other directions and notes can also be transferred to the picture using this feature. by Transferring the SD chip from a digital camera (below) to the Pocket PC allows instantaneous feedback on trouble spots during a project.

?EUR??,,????'??It is a layered technology that is immediately integrated with the photo so you can send it very quickly after the writing takes place,?EUR??,,????'?? Serpe said. ?EUR??,,????'??You bring the written on form into the notes summary form.?EUR??,,????'??

This is a different kind of server technology according to Serpe. The company does not call this email, because technically they do not manage email, they manage pictorial inventory.

Serpe also said the technology involved in this system is rather userfriendly.

?EUR??,,????'??We could have beefed up the design,?EUR??,,????'?? he said. ?EUR??,,????'??After a while it gets complex and we decided to stay on the simple path. This is something you won?EUR??,,????'???t use every day, but you may use it three or four times a week, so you have easy memory on how to work the software.

?EUR??,,????'??We wanted to focus on the ease of moving information from one place to another and therefore we streamlined and made it very much not like traditional pocket PC software. Here you have true handheld interplay.?EUR??,,????'??