Bluetooth Communication

[Joe Paulin]

Can the LS support bluetooth communication with the Leica Disto and other bluetooth enabled laser distance meters ?
I touched on this a while back and wanted to see if there had been any updates. With the integration of the compass bearing being easily utilized in the offset routine, the only thing left is the distance integration.
My thoughts are for the user to hard mount a distance meter to the pole, lined up so that the point of measure ment coincides with the center of the pole. End users can take care of that part.
What we need from the Javad Team is for the LS to be able to pull the distance data from the distance meter through bluetooth and easily incorporate it into the offset routine much like how the direction can be pulled from the compass bearing.

Thoughts?

 

[Nate The Surveyor]

or this: http://www.lasertech.com/TruPulse-Laser-Rangefinder.aspx

 

[Mikhail Drakin]

Actually, support for Leica Disto was almost finished more than year ago (or whenever we were implementing the Leica TS support, I do not remember), but then it was decided to be not important and pushed aside by other tasks, so the work was never completed.

 

[Joe Paulin]

There are a slew of inexpensive laser distance measuring tools out there with bluetooth conectivity that are very useful for surveying purposes -such as what Nate posted or this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K1XL7Y4?tag=price1264-20&ascsubtag=151139843&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I think this would be an important addition to the LS toolbox and worth the time invested to complete the integration. I would take the bosch sized unit, accurate to 1/16" of an inch, mount it sideways on the rod so that the laser unit can be rotated in the vertical plane. Many of these units have a tilt sensor in them so we could get a laser slope distance to objects and have horizontal measurements injected right into the LS. It could be setup very similar to how rod heights are entered into JField - with a user-defined offset field directly after the distance field. That way if it is difficult to mount the laser distance tool in such a way that the point of measurement coincides with the center of the rod, we can enter an offset value (positive or negative value) to correct the distance measurement, just like we do with a prism offset with a total station.

There are all kinds of uses for offset measurements - the key is integrating the direction and distance. Think of sewer inverts - you have the tip of the rod on the rim, just pivot the laser down, laser the flowline and boom, you just shot the flowline elevation without carrying a dirty old level rod around or ruining your pocket tape.

Please chime in - does anyone else think this is a valuable and wanted integration?

 

[Nate The Surveyor]

Some jobs beg for it, and others not so much.
If it were installed, we's use it.
N

 

[David M. Simolo]

It sounds very useful to me

 

[Nistorescu Sorin]

Also for me.

 

[Blake Ebsary]

I agree.

 

[Matt Johnson]

Has anyone ever tried using a laser distance meter outside much? Also I'm curious if anyone has ever tried using one with a prism? For example, setting up a prism over a monument and doing a distance-distance intersection to precisely locate it.

 

[Adam]

I use one outside everyday. I have not used one to shoot to a prism much.

 

[Matt Johnson]

I use one outside everyday. I have not used one to shoot to a prism much.

Do you have a model with a camera display and do you find it difficult to see the laser outside?

 

[Adam]

No camera, it can be very difficult to see the laser but usually it is for short distance measurements less than 100ft so I manage. I have a Bosch edm that was about $100. It's not near as nice as the distos

 

[Joe Paulin]

Like Adam, I use one all the time out in the field. It's pretty much standard equipment in my vest! It can be very hard to see the laser dot on a bright day, but usually the distances are less than 50' so it's not too bad. Some models have a sight tube you can look through to help with pointing. I never have tried it with a prism for precision work but I can do some testing if needed. Most things that I use it for are GNSS offset shots, sewer pipe inverts and anywhere where you normally would pull a 25' pocket tape out to measure short distances.

 

[Joe Paulin]

One can also use special laser eyeglasses to help with viewing the visible laser dot, but I personally haven't tried these to see if they help.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/CST-Berg...bE4sZJX3p3jDxeTsULGXwaAmzW8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[David M. Simolo]

I also use a Bosch and it can be difficult to see in some daylight conditions.

I have never tried using a prism. Generally anything I have taped and checked with the Bosch unit has compared quite favorably. The range is good on the Bosch so I don't think the prism offers much advantage within the likely range of that use. But I could be convinced otherwise in an application with the Triumph-LS.

 

[Shawn Billings]

I've used boards with reflective tape, but never a prism. I've never found any need for a prism. The reflective board is mostly unnecessary as the practical range of a hand held laser is shorter than the measuring range of the laser. Leica specs at 600+ feet. I can't hold one steady enough for a measurement that far. The reflective board does help visibility though as you can see the laser in bright sun when it reflects back from the reflective tape. It may also be that the reflected signal strength from a prism would be too much with the laser, but I could be wrong about that.

I saw a Bosch at the hardware store with a fifty foot range that sold for $50. It was smaller than a flip phone. It had no Bluetooth or tilt compensation, but I was very surprised by the price. I looked carefully to make sure it wasn't one of the cheap sonar distance meters, but it was definitely laser.

I haven't tried a laser with the camera feature for targeting. The one I used had a periscope that was difficult to use but was functional.

 

[Nistorescu Sorin]

Just try this PD-E from Hilti:
https://www.us.hilti.com/measuring-systems/laser-range-meters/r587776

No need for prism, pin-point acuracy, incredible built-in optical viewfinder for outdoor measurements (worth every cent), the outdoor display can be read even in very bright sunlight, lifetime warranty;

Extremely rugged, hard jobsite use, easier targeting and quick, reliable measurements, built-in 360° tilt sensor for various application possibilities, but no bluetooth, all for about 600 USD (the perfect tool is hard to find).

I have its predecessor PD-32 for over 10 years and I think even now it is hard to beat; accuracy ±0.04 in, max. measuring distance 656 feet, and with reflective board have a little error at 2300 feet.

Perhaps they could add a bluetooth for PD-E.

 

[Nistorescu Sorin]

Something useful straight from the source:

But maybe with another design..

 

[Nistorescu Sorin]

I saw the Bosch device, but now Hilti has an android-based device (pretty expensive):
https://www.us.hilti.com/measuring-systems/laser-range-meters/2102497

Maybe would be nice to run JMT on something like it.

 

[Matt Johnson]

I have a Disto 7500i now and just manually type in the distances when needed. It does not take long to enter them this way but I think we are close to being able to communicate with them through Bluetooth when they are in HID mode. One problem with the newer Disto's including the one I have is that they use Bluetooth 4.0. The current Bluetooth hardware in the LS will not support Bluetooth 4.0.