Developments in automation for high-precision laser scanners has moved these instruments closer to becoming digital co-workers.

While the instruments and equipment of AEC have not reached the levels of autonomy that we might associate with the term “robot,” they are evolving towards becoming more like “cobots:” advanced robotics that operate with a substantial amount of autonomy, but only with key input and direction from the human operator. The operator is the expert, coaching and guiding the robot through the automated operations and processes, while the cobot does an increasing amount of the work. 

There are advances today in AEC scanning technologies that are on the periphery of cobot development, but yield many of the benefits. For example, a convergence of surveying instrument and scanner technologies has yielded a new class of scanner, bringing increasing benefits of rapid high-precision laser scans to the AEC industry. You can now get the survey-grade precision of legacy scanning systems, but with a level of productivity and ease of use that puts the power of such systems confidently in less experienced hands.

Scanning Workflows

With legacy scanning there was a premium on the time and the skills of specifically trained practitioners, both for field operations and office processing. Four key developments have completely changed legacy scanning workflows: self-calibration, self-levelling, and self-registration of point clouds, as well as now protecting critical components in sealed assemblies.

Scanning interior and exterior sites for engineering design, construction and as-built surveys almost always requires multiple scans—dozens, or even hundreds—and the respective “point clouds” must be precisely registered to each other and merged into a single point cloud or 3D mesh. The workflow with legacy scanners required the time-consuming steps of leveling the instrument, and calibrating it. Then there is the labor-intensive process of registering the point clouds in specialized software—after that fact back in the office. Plus, legacy scanners had cumbersome form factors and were not well protected from the elements.

Scanners have suddenly become a lot smarter: These advanced systems incorporate surveying best practices in their automated routines, and with such reliability that they are able to serve as highly skilled partners of their human operators. 

The updated workflow with this new class of scanner is as simple as choosing each scan location, setting up the instrument (close to level), starting the scan, and the cobot does the rest: precise final leveling, calibrating, and registering the scans. You then move to the next location and press the start button.

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