Picking up on Kent's Segway thread below, Leica is continuing its cryptic promotion of what it suggests is a game-changing product to be unveiled at the upcoming Hexagon conference. Perhaps someone more imaginative than me would like to speculate on what it might be. Anyone?
Subterranean GPS?
A Leica-built hammer? Free nails to go with the hammer in exchange for a 5-year exclusive contract for the hammer? A shovel with built-in hand warmers? Free plumb bob to anyone who actually can prove they know how to operate one?
I'm speculating that it's a device that emits a beam of light that is then returned by a complex system of mirrors or a prism, if you will. Based on the phase of the returned signal and the known wavelength of the light, the device will determine a distance from itself to the prism to itself again. No more pulling chains up and down hills and through the swamps. Just a magic flashlight and a mirror.
My other idea is a little more fanciful. Kind of embarrassing to even mention it, but it involves putting artificial moons, or satellites in orbit around the Earth that emit beams of light, or radiation, that are received by a radio on the ground.
I could see either of these ideas really changing the day to day for field guys.
In all seriousness, I've always had a great deal of respect for the quality of product Leica puts out there, but this campaign is fishy. Expecting people to pay to see this revolutionary technology sight unseen just doesn't have the class I've always expected from Leica. Typically when a developer has a product that's truly revolutionary, they just put it out there and let the product sell itself.
Holy,
You’re on the right track with the hammer most Holy One. Currently they are having software problems with the hammer but hope to have it fixed in time for the convention.
Have a great week! B-)
you crazy, Shawn. Nothing will replace the plumb bob and chaining pins!!!
:good:
Actually, running with this light emitting theme, how's about a laser plumb bob?
ACIM - Anal Cranial Inversion Mapping
Yawn, it will be more expensive than it's worth, or at least to me! (I'm going to bet on that and I'm not a betting man)
I've heard from a reliable source .....
I've heard from a reliable source that Leica has developed a laser for their EDM's that will actually pass though solid objects. It will actually shoot distances straight through anyone who walks through the beam causing only minor cellular damage and a slight tingling sensation. However, lead-lined underwear is recommended for the rodman.
Your source ....
didn't get it quite right, but I can understand the confusion.
The new toy won't shoot through objects, but rather bend around them and immediately determine the straight line angle and distance. So someone holds a proprietary target where you want it and the instrument will bend around anything in the way.
No more brush cutting, etc.
The next thing they are working in is a tripod-less set up. You just hold the instrument in thin air where you want it and it levitates right over your station and perfectly levels itself.
Perry
reminds me of several times dad was on the prism with me at the gun and he would be getting bugged by someone asking a lot of dumb questions and he'd explain that "the light from that telescope over there would make you impotent." Then he'd have to explain what impotent meant, and that the only thing protecting him was that reflective glass between him and the telescope. "Say, you don't have a reflective glass, you might want to step back..."
Consumer-grade scanner
> Perhaps someone more imaginative than me would like to speculate on what it might be. Anyone?
I have it from a reliable source that the product is a consumer-grade scanner that an untrained person can use to produce mortgage surveys. The data is transmitted into the cloud and a team of technicians in Bangalore, India turn out the map yesterday, owing to the time difference. Interestingly, the product development team is lead by the woman in the red tee shirt who still appears from time to time in the surveying mags.
Consumer-grade scanner
Wow. Sign me up! I'd love to tie up cash for a scanner so some numbnuts could do mortgage inspections...:bored:
uhhh...only if it can provide an accurate and reproducible bearing base though...
Who will be tweeting from the conference?
I need to know who to follow!
Consumer-grade scanner
>only if it can provide an accurate and reproducible bearing base though...
Funny you should say that, because the product roll-out is actually two products, the other of which is a total station with a laser gyro in it that can be used to determine geodetic North.
Consumer-grade scanner
Hmmm. Kent, if true you can bet American First Title will have their Express Map team there to make the first bulk order.
Keep it on the down low, but I hear that it is a fully automated stealth surveying drone. All you have to do is tell it the approximate address or general location and it will automatically gather all of the information you need to produce a plat without ever having to leave the office. I think some people have actually had prototypes for some time now. A new accessory that is available for a small nominal fee is one of the Men In Black flashy thingies, you know just in case a client or attorney gets a little nosy wanting to see your field data.
I have no clue what it is, but if is a game changer like they lead you to believe, I expect a call from my dealer to set up a demo the next day.:-) 😉 😛 😀 :beer:
Shoulda' used sarcasm font.....