Technology and Construction - The power couple

There is a lot that can be said for this combination! Years have gone by and each one has ensured that there are more options for technology within our industry. Technology can ensure the safety of the site and can sometimes even ease the work burden of the workers but there can often be a resistance towards this. Why do we need it when we have been fine for years without this help; there is far more that could go wrong ...? I am here to tell you not to resist! Obviously only use what you feel comfortable with, but don't force it and don't cut it off before you've tried it. There are many ways in which the benefits can out-way anything else. The use of mobile apps and devices have become the most widely used forms of technology. These can allow workers to share documents, edit and improve on the go, download results, but they can also cut down contact between people (which is perfect at the moment with the measures that are in place). Technology is also developing where workers can wear devices in their clothing to provide information on the site itself. This is direct contact and a constant stream of information. In unison with the software this information is proving invaluable. Laser scanners are very accurate and they can really show the true conditions of a space or building. Mix these scanners with the matching software and you will have a winning combination of equipment. The time that this will save is second to none (not to mention money in the long run). With the accuracy of the scanners and the direct input of the data from the software you will wonder how you ever worked before. You now have more and more people using 3D printers. These can be amazing for making construction materials from concrete and plastics etc GPS has been around for sometime now, but it has provided managers' with the exact whereabouts of their vehicles, which in turn has enabled them to provide feedback to sites with times of expected deliveries. If you connect some of these technologies together you will find that you can gather even more information. There have even been examples of robots being used to construct the build itself. check this out... http://www.bbc.com/future/bespoke/the-disruptors/the-house-the-robots-built/ These are just a few of the many ways in which technology is fast becoming a huge part of the construction industry. We have all had years learning our crafts; maybe it's a family tradition or maybe it's just your passion. Either way don't look at this as a replacement, this is nothing more than help. Technology is continuously developing and one day it may leave what  humans can do behind. Is it better to be part of it or resist it? Only you can answer that.  Right now though, we may not be building our houses by robots as the norm, but we are using technology more and more in each step of the process, from building to surveying and even producing our materials. Are construction and technology the real power couple? I think we already know the answer to that!