We constantly see improvements in technology, Whether its our own fire rated glazing or in the wider construction world, it’s pretty safe to say that technology is rebuilding the construction industry. However, whilst developments like fire rated glazing have taken off in modern builds, the sector, which covers everything from housebuilding to cityscape regeneration, has somewhat of a reputation for being slow in the uptake and utilisation of technological solutions.

However, this could all soon be set to change. Google’s Tango, which came to the market as a development project in 2014, has made self-3D mapping software impossible to ignore. As the platform grows, we’d expect that it will continue to bring digital technology right into the hands of construction industry professionals.

If you’ve not heard of Tango before, it is, in a nutshell, a technology platform that allows digital devices to understand space and motion. A brainchild of Google, it uses computer vision to enable mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets to detect their position relative to their surroundings, without using GPS or other external signals. The Lenova Phab 2 Pro has even been released – the world’s first Tango-enabled smartphone.

This allows app developers to create user experiences that are especially useful and innovative to the construction industry, such as 3D mapping, physical space measurement, environmental recognition, augmented reality, and windows into a virtual world. Although still in its infancy, Tango has already brought an innovative edge to the market but commentators such as Daniel Burris expect that it’ll be years until its true potential is realised.

This isn’t to say that technology directly related to the construction industry isn’t moving at an ever-accelerating rate. Additional tech, such as an augmented reality app known as ‘Through the Wall’, potentially allows users to hold up an aforementioned device inside any room of a building and then be able to see where pipes/electrical wires are positioned. Burris points out that on top of all the game-changing new technology, there already exists a wealth of smart software in the industry, although it’s unfortunately underused.

Burris identifies somewhat of a distrust of technology within the sector which of course has negative impact on adoption rates. For example, software such as Construction Manager and PlanGrid is there to be used but uptake has left little to be desired. This is such a shame – although industry trends appear to point to less suspicion and greater utilisation of digital models. BIM (Building Information Modelling) for one represents the use of digital models in construction, while, as Burris notes, Tango provides a peek of what sorts of tech will become in the norm of tomorrow.

Nobody is saying that the construction industry is going to change overnight and become a widespread adopter of technology. However, as Burris understands it, there is no doubt as to where innovation in the industry is heading, and what sorts of possibilities await for those early adopters and digital pioneers. Developments such as Tango will likely see us through a digital transformation and finally put construction technology innovation on a par with other industries – who have undoubtedly benefited from being active players of the digital age.

If you are interested in any of our fire rated glazing or glass wall partitioning products then please call 0121 374 0070 or email sam@awallsz.co.uk so that we can discover the solution that best fits you and your office space.

The research covered in the post is courtesy of Daniel Burrus, Technology Futurist and Author at the Huffington Post.