Topcon user conference focuses on Imaging solution

13 May 2008, 3:36pm

CAPELLE AAN DEN IJSSEL, The Netherlands, – During a special dedicated meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland, Topcon introduced several new Imaging solutions to an attentive audience from across the board. Those present were given the chance to experience the advantages of Topcon's Imaging Solutions first hand. Topcon benefited from the knowledge and experience of its end users to continually improve our products to perfectly fit their everyday working needs.

Following the successful inaugural Topcon PI-3000 User Group meeting it was decided to launch the new Image Master Software upgrade during another one of these focused meetings. The customers whom already use Pi-3000 software were introduced to the family of imaging products including the Imaging Station and GLS1000 Laser Scanner.

Specialists from all fields

The event was organized by Topcon and the UK Photogrammetry dealer TerraDat. It was hosted by Historic Scotland in Edinburgh at their training facility in the grounds of Holyrood Palace Park. Customers attended from all across Europe and even from Alaska and were from a mix of backgrounds. Specialists from survey companies, heritage preservation, archaeology, police and construction were represented.

Proven capability

The event started with a review of the previous user group's software-needs and what has been implemented since that meeting. Proving that Topcon does not only listen to customers but acts upon it. This was quickly followed by an introduction to the new members to the family of imaging products, including Image Master software. This software suite builds on the proven capability of Pi-3000, the Image Surveying Station, and combines it with the new field functionality provided by the Imaging Station, to create a package that delivers the advantages of Photogrammetry, laser scanning and total station survey into one simple, effective, powerful package.

Giving presentations

Four users gave their own presentations, showing those present the special ways in which they use Topcon's instruments and Pi-3000 software to reach their companies goals and the main advantages of using these techniques:

• Historic Scotland presented a lecture on the advantages of Modeling / ortho-photo generation over traditional recoding techniques.
• English Heritage presented their data capture techniques using Pi-3000 to model a historic tunnel which was in danger of collapse.
• Tanana Chiefs Conference, Alaska, presented their large scale mapping solution, using Pi-3000 where they survey property boundaries from a helicopter. Claiming they can produce a survey for $3k where before using Pi-3000 it had cost them over $30k.
• The final presentation was by TerraDat on how they had adapted a different survey technique to survey earth dams for an engineering consultancy using PI-3000

Development of software

The closing session was an open Q+A session, held for users to feedback their needs and wishes in using Pi-3000. This information will be used for further development of Topcon’s photogrammetry software. It proved a really useful session for Topcon and other users as many requests could be met with the introduction of Image Master. Ian Stilgoe, Product Marketing and Support Manager for Survey Products comments: "Overall this was a great success with good customer feeling. Topcon plans to repeat this with customers from all imaging products next year, and to widen the audience to create a more European event. It is important for Topcon to know the key needs of these product-active customers and to make sure they are met."

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Geo: International