Tokyo, Japan – August 27th, 2024– Morpho Inc. (hereinafter, “Morpho”), a global leader in image processing and imaging AI solutions, announced that it, along with Raito Kogyo Co., Ltd. and EARTHBRAIN Ltd., had developed Quick Drafter, a drillhole position imaging and measurement system that incorporates high-precision drillhole coordinate detection technology utilizing AI and image processing.
Quick Drafter embodies a technology that allows the user to automatically measure the drillhole positions and generate their schematics, simply by using a smartphone to take photos of the drillholes created in the concrete during the installation of bridge restrainers. This system can be implemented to streamline the construction management operations while reducing overtime work.
As most of Japan’s current infrastructures were built between the country’s post-war high economic growth period and the early 1990s, there is a growing concern over their deterioration. To address this, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has been facilitating the reinforcement of bridges along emergency transport roads to improve their resistance to earthquakes, with the aim of assisting emergency rescue and lifesaving activities as well as recovery support activities following disasters. As part of the initiative, construction projects have been underway across the country to install bridge restrainers and other antiseismic reinforcement devices to the bridges to securely enhance their piers’ capacity to withstand earthquakes.
In view of such needs for the antiseismic reinforcement of bridge piers, Morpho started the development of Quick Drafter, a drillhole position imaging and measurement system, at the request of Raito Kogyo, a company specializing in the repair and reinforcement of various structures. In this project, Morpho has been responsible for developing AI and image processing algorithms and application software, while EARTHBRAIN has provided its Landlog platform, an open IoT architecture for the construction industry. The three companies have cooperated with each other in the development project to bring the system to its commercial implementation.
In each construction project for the antiseismic reinforcement of bridge piers, steel brackets are typically fastened to the piers to allow for the installation of bridge restrainers. Before those brackets are installed, anchor holes must be drilled without damaging any of the rebars embedded in the existing concrete structures. Because of this constraint, the constructors are often unable to install rebar anchors in their optimal positions as planned. In that case, an on-site survey must be conducted to measure the precise positions of the anchor drillholes and create their schematics each time.
Such efforts spent in the measurement of drillhole positions and schematic creation require significant human resources and time and also pose the risks of schedule delays and financial losses, if any measurement turns out to be incorrect due to human error.
The development of this new system has been facilitated to mitigate such risks of wasteful resources, financial losses, and construction rework.
Left: anchor drillholes / Right: a fully installed bridge restrainer
Quick Drafter can calculate drillhole positions and automatically generate their schematics in a matter of minutes, simply by drawing a line along the outer perimeter of each steel bracket on site, attaching a tag to each of the four corners, and taking photos of the bracket including all of the tags, with a smartphone camera.
With the conventional method, on-site staff must apply film to where the steel bracket is installed, mark the positions of all anchor holes on the film, and manually draw their schematics. This new system, however, can eliminate such manual measurement tasks, along with the hassle of arranging necessary measuring instruments and equipment. After implementing Quick Drafter in actual construction projects, Raito Kogyo has been able to reduce the work time by 70%.
This not only reduces the time required to take measurements and create schematics but also mitigates measurement errors, while improving the safety of workers due to less time spent at height with unstable footing.
Left: Photographing drillholes with a smartphone / Right: Automatic drillhole position measurement and schematic generation
– Smartphone camera calibration function
As the system requires accurate measurement on the order of millimeters based on photos captured using smartphone cameras, the differences in measurements resulting from the individual characteristics of the camera lenses used might affect the measurement accuracy of the system. To address this, the system has been equipped with a camera calibration function to correct for such errors. This calibration function can automatically adjust the lens parameters simply by taking photos of measurement objects a few times.
– Image conversion/correction function
The system also integrates an image conversion/correction function that entails attaching tags to the four corners of the photography object’s perimeter for enhanced detection precision. This function uses the tag size data to convert the image pixels to the object’s actual physical size, enabling the precise measurement of any objects based on their photos.
In addition, the utilization of tags has made it possible to correct image distortions. Because construction sites are typically fraught with narrow paths on scaffolding, etc. as well as suspended chains and other obstacles, it is often the case that the objects cannot be photographed at a right angle from the front. However, by applying this image distortion correction technique, the images of objects captured from varying angles can be adjusted to such images seen straight from the front to enable accurate measurement.
While Quick Drafter has already been used by Raito Kogyo at its contracted project sites for antiseismic bridge reinforcement, feedback is constantly provided to identify the aspects of the system that can be improved, based on which the application software will get updated with progressively improved usability. In addition, Raito Kogyo has a plan to possibly sell the system on the market. Meanwhile, Morpho will continue to provide maintenance and support on the application software.
Morpho remains committed to ceaselessly facilitating the DX (digital transformation) of the construction industry by providing AI and imaging technologies for enhancing useability and operational efficiency, and reducing capital expenditures in the industry, while steadfastly facilitating its technological development.
Raito Kogyo actively develops and facilitates the implementation of special technologies in civil engineering specialties, while making significant contributions to society through disaster prevention/mitigation and infrastructure development throughout Japan’s homeland. The company also has conducted numerous construction projects to build new apartment and office buildings as well as to renovate and perform major repairs on existing buildings.
– Website: https://www.raito.co.jp/english/
EARTHBRAIN provides Smart Construction services that facilitate the digital transformation of construction site operations, with a view to making vast improvements in safety, productivity, and the environment across the construction industry. The company has four capital investors including Komatsu Ltd., NTT Communications Corporation, Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation, and Nomura Research Institute, Ltd.
– Website: https://www.earthbrain.com/en/
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