Point Taken Podcast by Trimble

High-precision GNSS: A deep dive into modern receivers

In this episode we're joined by Eric Krantz, director of engineering for high precision GNSS at Trimble. We take a deep dive into the hardware and engineering that power modern GNSS systems. Eric talks about what goes on inside a GNSS receiver and how radio signals from space are transformed into millimeter-accurate positioning on earth.Whether you are a seasoned surveyor, a construction professional or a tech enthusiast, Eric breaks down complex RF (radio frequency) concepts into an accessible, fascinating conversation.

Behind the scenes: Designing Trimble's next gen data collectors

Host Michael Dix sits down with Aimee Shirk, who manages the product team for Trimble's mobile computing devices. They dive into the engineering, design philosophy and practical applications of Trimble's rugged survey controllers.

The evolution of GIS data collection with Esri

In this episode, host Michael Dix sits down with Esri's Doug Morgenthaler, product engineering lead and Jeff Shaner, product engineering director for field apps.Doug and Jeff dive into the current landscape of field data collection and share where the technology is heading next including Esri's approach to AI, and the need for both data-driven and boots-on-the-ground customer research.They also explores how Esri is moving beyond traditional data collection personas to empower a broader range of professionals—from construction inspectors to biologists and more. 

Singapore’s blueprint for digital construction and AI

In this episode, host Michael Dix sits down with Mr. Heng Teck Thai to explore how Singapore is pioneering the future of construction technology and digital delivery.Mr. Heng Teck Thai serves as Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), bringing over 20 years of experience across the public and private sectors. His diverse career spans roles at the Singapore Economic Development Board, Boston Consulting Group, and various private equity and venture capital firms, focusing on investment deals, consulting and portfolio management.Michael and Teck Thai dive deep into BCA’s unique dual role as both a regulator and a champion for industry development. They discuss Singapore’s digital transformation journey, including a program that requires 3D BIM models for regulatory submissions.Discover how BCA is overcoming change management hurdles, integrating AI and drone technology for safer building inspections and creating a thriving ecosystem for construction tech startups.Mr. Heng Teck Thai serves as Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), bringing over 20 years of experience across the public and private sectors. His diverse career spans roles at the Singapore Economic Development Board, Boston Consulting Group, and various private equity and venture capital firms, focusing on investment deals, consulting, and portfolio management.Michael and Teck Thai dive deep into BCA’s unique dual role as both a regulator and a champion for industry development. They discuss Singapore’s digital transformation journey, including a program that requires 3D BIM models for regulatory submissions.Discover how BCA is overcoming change management hurdles, integrating AI and drone technology for safer building inspections, and creating a thriving ecosystem for construction tech startups.

The future of AI and reality capture

Reality capture is changing fast. Alex Okscin, reality capture product manager at Trimble, joins us again to share his take on how AI is shifting the industry from manual processing to automated insights. Alex explains how machine learning helps users train custom classes to find objects within point clouds and why historical 3D data provides value even long after a building is constructed. The conversation also covers cutting-edge visualization technologies like NeRFs and Gaussian Splats.
0:00 – Intro
1:19 – Where AI lives in the ecosystem: hardware vs. software
2:13 – Intelligent feature extraction
4:15 – The challenge of global variations in object recognition
6:31 – Making reality capture data accessible to non-experts
9:08 – Lifecycle management: from construction to building operations
11:33 – Leveraging historical scan data for repeat business
13:42 – Future technologies: NeRFs and Gaussian Splats
16:32 – The role of AR, VR, and MR in visualization
18:48 – The future possibility of talking to your data

Beyond the point cloud: Solving customer problems with reality capture

Join us as we dive into the world of reality capture with Alex Okscin, product manager at Trimble. Discover how this technology, which started with 3D laser scanning, now encompasses many sensors and workflows to bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds. Alex explains the key technologies involved, the importance of minimizing communication errors, and the practical steps in a successful scanning process.
0:00 - Intro
1:29 - Defining reality capture
2:11 - Reality capture as the new geospatial
3:38 - The goal of reality capture: faster answers through better communication
5:19 - The range of terrestrial scanning systems
6:05 - Differentiating systems by precision and application
7:40 - Understanding accuracy in the real world vs. lab specs
11:19 - Challenges and best practices for better scanning
17:12 - Scanning workflow steps
17:50 - The role of targets and control points
19:45 - Core technologies in laser scanning
20:49 - The importance of workflow over just hardware specs
25:35 - Trimble's focus: confidence and excellence for the customer

The current state of GNSS and Trimble engineering

Stuart Riley, vice president of GNSS technology at Trimble, discusses the rigorous testing and engineering developments at Trimble. He provides a current state overview of the GNSS industry, covering the major global and regional systems, and introduces new developments around commercial constellations.
0:00 - Intro
1:21 - The current state of GNSS constellations
2:14 - The rise of private GNSS constellations
3:26 - Comparing different satellite orbits (MEO vs. LEO)
5:39 - Trimble's transition from GPS to GNSS
7:07 - ProPoint GNSS engine
9:10 - GNSS+ integrating other sensors like IMUs
11:36 - The history of the Sunnyvale Trimble office
12:59 - Trimble's testing labs and procedures
15:32 - Vibration testing for durability and longevity
16:44 - Real-world threats: jamming and spoofing
21:24 - Trimble's defense against jamming and spoofing 
27:18 - The evolution of RTK "fixed" and precision
28:58 - Trimble's deep commitment to testing and data sets
40:59 - Career paths in GNSS engineering
43:14 - The personal satisfaction of solving technical problems

Atmospheric effects on GNSS and how Trimble fights back

Trimble product manager Keeley Shea joins us to dive deep into the atmospheric layers and solar storms and their impact on precise positioning. We explore the 11-year solar cycle, what happens during peak activity (like solar flares and geomagnetic storms), and how these phenomena, especially ionospheric scintillation, can cause issues with GNSS performance. We also cover how Trimble technology and best practices in the field can help mitigate these effects. 
0:00 - Introduction1:32 - The five layers of Earth's atmosphere3:00 - Troposphere and Ionosphere5:17 - Solar flares, solar storms and geomagnetic storms7:20 - How atmospheric layers affect GNSS signals9:35 - Defining scintillation15:20 - The positive side: Auroras and data collection18:53 - Best practices and Trimble IonoGuard

Introducing the Point Taken Podcast by Trimble

Michael Dix from Trimble gives an introduction to the Point Taken Podcast and the range of guests and topics that will be featured.