Tech firms in the construction space often join forces to marry their niche solutions with other technologies and provide more comprehensive and interoperable tools. Every few weeks, Construction Dive provides a roundup of the most recent mergers, acquisitions and integrations in the construction technology space. To view the entire series, click here.
Autodesk BIM 360 catalogs TrueLook jobsite photos
Construction jobsite camera provider TrueLook announced last week its integration with Autodesk BIM 360, the latest in a string of TrueLook software updates.
BIM 360 users can now view and store photos captured with TrueLook cameras within the project management software, according to the announcement. In addition, BIM 360 users can mark up and share images with other Autodesk users, whether or not those users have TrueLook accounts.
The integration allows users to organize “a massive number of photos and videos” in a central location, Sarah Hodges, senior director of Autodesk’s construction business line, said in a press statement. By automatically storing photos and time-lapses as albums, Autodesk BIM 360 will serve as a “lifetime backup for TrueLook’s project monitoring,” the announcement said.
Startup Concrete Sensors gets venture fund backing
Spain-based Cemex Ventures announced late last month a partnership with Requus Ventures and Arab Angels Fund to invest in Concrete Sensors, a U.S. startup offering wireless sensors and accompanying software that alert contractors to the strength, performance and potential issues with poured concrete.
The embedded sensors are automatically activated when concrete is poured, according to the announcement, and paired with a mobile app to offer real-time monitoring of temperature, relative humidity and mix quality. Concrete Sensors claims its internet-of-things solution can shave weeks off project schedules by providing data on the variables affecting a mix and can reduce the need for testing.
GreenStaxx, Triumph Modular refine offsite approach
Design-build technology firm GreenStaxx (GSX) and Triumph Modular announced Tuesday their partnership to deliver modular student housing faster and at lower costs than traditional construction methods.
GSX founder and president Arthur Klipfel said in a press announcement that the partnership with Triumph will “lay the groundwork to transform the student housing industry by combining the benefits of mass production provided by GSX with the speed and quality of modular construction.”
GSX uses a digital library of pre-designed and pre-engineered units that assemble like Lego blocks into a range of configurations and includes detailed specs for mechanical, electrical, plumbing and other connections. By utilizing the GSX archive and Triumph’s 30 years’ experience in accelerated construction methods, the partners aim to deliver high-quality modular housing at minimal risk through “standardization, repetition and continuous improvement,” the announcement said.
Komatsu brings Propeller drone mapping to customers
Komatsu America Corp. recently partnered with drone software firm Propeller Aero to extend Propeller’s commercial drone mapping and analytics product to Komatsu’s customers and suppliers.
Propeller’s technology, according to a press statement, churns through thousands of drone images in hours to produce a 3D, cloud-based model. In addition, the platform calibrates with local grid coordinate values so that drone-captured models line up with previous surveys and plans, the companies said.
John Frost, vice president of business development for Propeller, said in the announcement that the product drives business value “through workflows that enable everyone to understand who’s moved what material, how much, and where,” regardless of a stakeholder’s location.
Foresight boosts fleet management app with CalAmp Cloud
Telematics company CalAmp announced late last month that data analytics software firm Foresight Intelligence integrated the CalAmp Telematics Cloud (CTC) and other intelligent CalAmp devices with its Fleet Intelligent application in order to speed up time to market. The mixed-fleet management application specifically targets the construction industry.
Integrating CalAmp technology allows Foresight to “incorporate IoT data into evolving construction industry demands by capturing equipment utilization and diagnostic information from previously unconnected machines,” according to a press announcement.
App users can access real-time location data, engine hours, fuel levels and diagnostic information for all machines in the fleet within a central platform, whether or not those machines share the same manufacturer, according to the companies.
