Exciting trends point to a great 2023
Money, Money, Money
By Farcaster - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=112352975
Infrastructure is no longer an ignored necessity in the United States. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed in 2021, our country is making a once-in-a-lifetime investment in its economic backbone to the tune of $1.2 trillion over five years. In 2022, 6,900 specific projects have been launched in 4,000 communities in all 50 states. This includes upgrading roads, bridges, railroads, airports, water systems, updating the power grid, providing internet to rural areas and much more. Each $1Billion of investment in transit and infrastructure creates approximately 22,307 jobs – jobs that pay well and in turn, strengthen local economies¹.
This couldn’t have come at a better time. According to the Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, our overall grade is a C-. Individual category scores ranged from a D- for Transit to a B for Railroads, with most categories requiring immediate investment.
Artificial Intelligence
Along with this massive investment in infrastructure, several trends suggest that technology will accelerate its impact on our lives. Artificial intelligence (AI) is already improving the outcomes in many industries. AI is defined as the use of computer systems to perform tasks that mimic human cognitive functions, such as problem solving, pattern recognition and making predictions. Because the world has created more data in the past few years than in all prior years of existence², we need all the help we can get to gain meaning from all of this information. That’s where AI comes in. It uses massive amounts of data to detect patterns and gain insights.
Machine Learning (ML) is a subset of AI. It leverages statistical techniques (algorithms) to give computer systems the ability to learn from data without being explicitly programmed to do so. Most AI involves machine learning – 67% of companies use machine learning and 97% are planning to use it in 2023³.
Machine learning is everywhere – for example it’s being used in drones to make them fly more smoothly and recognize objects and interpret surroundings. This allows drones to make decisions based on what they see, enabling them to map areas, track objects and provide analytical feedback in real time, rather than having to follow predefined rules.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) uses machine learning to create highly accurate digital constructions before a project to prevent problems before they occur. BIM is quickly being adopted to help plan, design construct and manage buildings and infrastructure. The digital model is shared with all contractors to make sure what is being built matches the model.
Surveyors are key to delivering the reference points that ensure reality matches the model. Berntsen’s line of Rothbucher prisms, drone targets, smart targets and laser targets are designed to provide the highest level of precision while making the process easier and repeatable.
RFID
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is experiencing a resurgence⁴ as a highly adaptable technology that integrates easily with advanced computer systems. Originally developed in conjunction with radar, it was used to identify aircraft during WWII. Over the years, RFID continued to develop due to its ability to uniquely identify objects and digitize that information. Consisting of a tiny antenna and a chip programmed with a unique ID and some basic information, it reflects that data back when scanned with an RFID reader. Its versatility means that it can work with high and low frequency radio waves; it can be active, acting as a type of beacon, or it can be passive – only activated when scanned with an RFID reader. RFID can be read through all types of material (no line of sight required) and the read works instantly. Today, RFID is used in a wide range of applications, from tracking merchandise to cars passing through a toll to supply chain management.
Berntsen realized early on that RFID was the solution to a persistent problem in infrastructure management – the inability to identify buried assets, such as fiber optic junctions, water valves, gas pipes, to name a few. RFID tags mark infrastructure assets that are buried underground and reflect that information back to a database with a scan of an RFID reader. RFID essentially verifies the identity of the underground asset and ties that information into whatever platform the user employs to track and manage assets.
As Berntsen was developing RFID for infrastructure asset management, another technology was exploding in use to create location intelligence – Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
GIS
GIS is another technology that has been around awhile, but is now really taking off due to the advancements in computer systems⁵. Like AI, it’s used to uncover meaning and insights from data – data tied to location. GIS lays out data spatially on a map so it can be quickly understood visually. Since the early 2000s, GIS has been used to help organizations manage information about their distributed assets, literally showing managers where an asset is and providing information about its status. Many organizations use GIS programs, such as ArcGIS from Esri, to manage utility assets, such as water systems, broadband facilities, gas lines and valves and so on.
As with any digital representation of reality, GIS is only as good as its data. Oftentimes, buried assets cannot be found at the point shown in GIS. In that case, the only way to really know the location of the buried asset is to start digging until it is uncovered. This causes delays in asset maintenance and inspection and can even be dangerous⁶ if the asset is struck by excavating equipment. Fortunately, Berntsen has solved this problem by leveraging RFID to identify buried assets and tie that specific information to GIS so that with a simple RFID read, field staff can truly know the what’s below.
This simple system (InfraMarker Connected RFID) is being used by more and more organizations to provide specific, authenticated location of buried (and above-ground) assets. Esri has made it available to work with its popular field data collecting apps, ArcGIS Survey123 and ArcGIS Field Maps to help asset managers and field staff quickly locate and identify any type of infrastructure asset. It’s a simple solution to a persistent problem dogging organizations that use GIS to manage the maintenance and repair of infrastructure assets.
Let’s get going!
It seems that all of the planets have aligned to create a thriving environment for surveyors and engineers. New funds, new projects, and new technology are all available to increase precision, save time and stay safe. Berntsen is here to support the professionals who do the hard work that makes our world a better place.