Technology for the Wynne
April 21, 2016
Revolutionary technology in the construction industry was on display in the Rayburn Student Center April 21st.
Present were Todd Wynne, Construction Technology Manager in the Virtual Design and Construction Department of Rogers-O’Brien Construction, and Blake Potts, senior Virtual Design and Construction specialist. Dr. Burchan Aydin from the College of Technology and Engineering was also present.
“We’re kind of like the nerds in the company,” Wynne said. “We use the virtual designs to make sure the structure is built right the first time.”
Wynne and Potts showcased many examples of the technology they use on the field including virtual reality floor plans with hyperlinked red ‘photospheres’ which would display a 360-degree photo of a particular area under construction. When asked if he could ever stay home and not go on-site, Wynne laughed and said, “One day, perhaps, but not now.”
They also showed two drones and explained that the company used them for taking on-site pictures from the air. Potts delved into the legislative side of drone usage, saying that companies “are dying to use it, but the laws are still being fixed today.”
Structure sensors, scanners that build a 3-D image, were demonstrated by make models of different people. “They are accurate to within the inch,” Wynne said. “It may not be the most precise, but it’s useful for quick scans of inside ceilings.”
Construction has undergone a revolution with the recent advances in technology, and Wynne mentioned a study done by Harvard that measured the time saved by technology. The total time saved was nine hours a week.
“It’s been interesting to see the construction industry go through its own little Industrial Revolution except in this case it’s a Digital Revolution,” Wynne said.
