The question has arisen with historical preservationists on whether anything I provide – video, laser scans, or other such data that I believe will be built to last – will have longevity. Will it, they may ask, be outdated within the next 2-5 years? And if so, what would be the point of spending thousands of dollars on something we won’t be able to leverage in a few years?
I have personal and professional goals in my life. Among them is to create an open-source historical digital archive for our State; to document historical sites and structures for this moment in our history. To tell the stories of what our history means to our current culture and to demonstrate our level of technology to those who would follow in our work. My team has been using laser scanning, RESolute, Gigapan photography, live video to interview locals, and written/oral histories collected by local historians who are brilliant and humble all at once. We are working with people at local universities as well as in other areas of the country to assist in technology development for our endeavors.
It’s truly a remarkable experience to be surrounded by such talents.
And, in all of this, I have found the answer to their inquiries. Yes, this data will be completely outdated in a few years.
However, part of the process of anything digital is to have persons that are willing to update the data as needed. We also know that laser scanning file format standards are being implemented by ASTM Committee E57, thanks to the hard work of point cloud anchor researchers like Faraz Ravi and Gene Roe.
I’ve learned so much from people in this industry. Over this past year, I’ve had the privilege of meeting some of the most curious, creative, thoughtful, and dedicated professionals than in my entire career prior. Special thanks to:
–John Smits for sharing his methods on facade topology analytical techniques
–Jonathan Coco for animation and thermal point cloud testing
–Arrival 3D for their support with augmented reality applications
–CyArk and WMF for their continued vision
–Oliver Burkler for always answering technical questions with great precision (and compassion)
–David Dustin for sharing point cloud methods and innovations via 3DS Max
–Jerry Flynn for developing AND teaching amazing animation and rendering techniques
–Scott Hayes for being the best scanner sales guy I’ve ever met
–Mike Olsen for being brilliant with point cloud data manipulation
–Artemis Valanis for sharing her jaw-dropping expertise on terrestrial photogrammetry/modeling
–Sam Pfeifle for being the voice of the people…
–Michael Raphael for “modeling the small stuff” (and everything else…)
–Ken Smerz for that bestowed “title” after my presentation at FARO in Orlando! You Rock!
–Dale Stenning for sharing your BIM guru-ness
-And for all the great guys and gals from Canada doing such great work.
It’s as if the playing field has been equalized with what has been coined as “disruptive technology.” We are all learning new and innovative methods to work with this data and it’s engaging. It’s so new in fact, that a lot of people we are marketing to have no idea what to do with us…hence the need for continued education; Educate, engage, and demonstrate what I’m learning to bring others into the dialog on the best practices for this technology.
I am a victim to the wow factor and gullible to being woo-ed by innovative ideas…
ToPa 3D~