How Rapid Scanning Provides Support During a Global Health Crisis

Geospatial technology can play an important role in the expansion of hospital capacity in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In this feature, David Fowkes, sales director at 3D mapping and monitoring specialist GeoSLAM, explains how the rapid surveying capabilities of SLAM technology can enable health officials across the globe to quickly and safely assess potential hospital buildings.

在世界各地，由于冠状病毒的传播，我们已经看到前所未有的努力增加拉伸卫生系统的能力。在武汉，中国的震中，这是一个269,000平方英尺，千床乐养山医院，于1月份的一周内从一周内完成，因为当局试图遏制传播。

In the UK the ExCel London, a 100,000 sqm event centre, was rapidly repurposed to create the 4,000-bed NHS Nightingale Hospital designed to increase intensive care unit (ICU) capacity. In addition, six further projects to repurpose existing buildings into temporary hospitals are planned across the country.

这种类型的项目甚至在大流行之前被认为是复杂的，因此加入了紧迫性和安全问题，评估了临时医院的适用性是一个重大挑战。

需要快速测量

When surveying these potential hospital sites, accessibility and speed is more important than ever, so teams on the ground can complete assessments quickly and safety. Traditionally, public health officials may have relied on hiring an expert to operate a static scanner, taking time to set up and then map out the site.

然而，我们今天面临的情况需要更快的解决方案。社会疏远咨询和旅行限制也意味着扫描可能需要通过靠近网站的某人进行，而无需任何先前的测量体验。因此，使用SLAM技术的手持式移动映射设备在这些情况下进入自己，因为它不需要GPS。

First developed in the robotics industry, tools using SLAM are capable of scanning indoors or other difficult-to-reach, enclosed spaces. Using information from sensors, normally Lidar and imagery, digital 3D maps can then be created based on the location of the device, without the need for GPS.

启用奴役的轻质扫描仪，例如北索斯岛的Zeb-Revo或Zeb-Horizo​​ n，可以允许调查团队在脚上或使用无人驾驶飞行器（无人机）来映射和监控网站。

Mobile mapping in practice

这GeoSLAMteam recently worked with Microgeo operator Ventimiglia Mattia for Tecnoin Naples, who was tasked with scanning a five-floor hospital building near Naples who was tasked with capturing data to create 3D models to assess floorplans and building measurements.

需要精确扫描但以速度交付，据选择了据捕获在100米范围内的远处元素的能力，因此选择了良士族的Zeb-Horizo​​ n。该设备能够捕获每秒300,000点，勾选快速移动扫描解决方案的要求。它还具有“步行和扫描”的数据收集方法，任何操作员都需要最小的培训。

在一小时内扫描了所有五个地板，利用Zeb-Horizo​​ n的无人机能力和徒步捕获数据。参考点用于合并扫描和地理参考数据 - 使测量团队能够为分析创建准确的3D模型。

为了证明这一点，与地面扫描仪相比，扫描的结果在2mm内，当您考虑数据收集所需的时间差时，令人印象深刻的准确性。这种准确性可以使测量师能够识别建筑物的关键特征，不仅显示床潜在的空间利用率，还提供了所有重要细节，例如通风机或其他机器的电源插座的数量和位置。

添加到此，通过将步行数据收集与相机配对，例如Zeb凸轮，测量师可以创建彩色视频。这对于为可能无法亲自访问该网站来访问该网站的关键决策者来说，这可能是至关重要的。

保持工人安全

在这些挑战性的情况下，时间很重要，但员工安全具有更大的意义。限制病毒载体的潜在暴露是至关重要的，并且在医院设置中，这显然是至关重要的。使用陆地扫描仪，每一两米设置设备，可以拍摄测量员天甚至几周才能扫描大量建筑物，可能会暴露它们，以及他们遇到的人感染的人。

Using a handheld scanner, by comparison, offers rapid surveying, reducing data collection to minutes or hours and allowing the surveyor to walk through the building at a consistent pace and observe social distancing guidance.

我们越来越依赖于创新，继续在这些挑战时期工作和社交。通过访问存储在云上的文件并通过缩放与朋友或家人保持联系，技术在社会中发挥了更重要的作用。

While the economy must continue to function and we should keep in regular communication with our loved ones, there is no doubt that the wider health of our communities is the ultimate priority. We all hope that these new or repurposed hospitals are used as little as possible over the coming weeks and months but, if they are, SLAM technology could have a huge role to play in helping officials to quickly and easily check the safety and viability of each venue.