Category Archives: Energy/Utilities
Smart Cities
They’re guided by people and powered by geospatial information. We’ve all heard the buzzword, “smart city.” But what is a smart city, and what makes it smarter than others? One of the key characteristics is the ability to make effective connections—among citizens, assets, and services—by using technology to support and improve the interaction among people...
Perri Howard
Perri Howard – Geospatially inspired artist – Washington USA Perri Howard, a Seattle-based artist, sculptor, pilot, and mariner, came to the attention of the surveying community through several of her public and studio art projects that weave in spatial themes. One of these was the photo and sound series “Precisely Known Completely Lost,” with close-up...
Lindsay Renkel
Lindsay Renkel – Geospatial Marketing Specialist, Trimble – Colorado USA In the not-so-recent past, segments of geospatial industries were viewed more as rigid verticals, and cross-discipline and integrated workflows were realized through innovation in applied tech. That’s when companies like Trimble began to organize under new functional divisions. Marketing a broader range of products and services could...
Robots
Above: GPS-controlled robots can measure a site fully automatically and precisely anchor screws for the foundation of a solar plant. Measuring and Anchoring As a child I used to watch a program on BBC television called Tomorrow’s World. Once in 1981, I sat in awe as it showed a snooker-playing robot. My dreams were filled with...
A Mapping App for Utility Assets
How a service provider for utilities implemented a mobile app to clock up efficiencies in advanced meter systems. Editor’s note: Mobile apps for asset mapping and mobile data management went from “new-cool” to essential in just a few years. In our April issue (see Mapping Peripheral) we tested a peripheral device that can add precision...
RFID
Above: RFID tags take many forms. The inside of a tag shown above—designed to attach to metal infrastructure in harsh environments, such as water pipes and valves—has a thin copper “bow-tie” antenna with a minuscule chip in the middle. It’s shown contrasted with a grain of rice. An electronic handshake has brought together the worlds...