Posted by
michael
on from the you'll-put-your-eye-out dept.
freitasm writes "Geekzone is reporting on Ike, made by Surveylab. Ike is a handheld data capture device that integrates GPS, an electronic compass, a laser distance meter, an inclinometer, a digital camera, and a Pocket PC 2003 handheld in a single unit, ideal for GIS and other surveys."
Been waiting my whole life!
by
smokin_juan
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
... for something like this with a cell phone. this is close but the wait continues.
Could be useful to golfers
by
The+I+Shing
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· Score: 3, Interesting
I've been asked by golfers if there's a device that will let them measure the exact distance to the pin (or at least the green).
I've always been at a loss to tell them what they could use, at least when it came to handheld optical devices.
-- You are in error. No-one is screaming. Thank you for your cooperation.
Re:Could be useful to golfers
by
bugnuts
·
· Score: 3, Interesting
There are several devices for this, from the $20 monocular to a $300 laser rangefinder.
The $20 version simply has markings, similar to a rifle scope, where the user simply matches the height of the pin to the markings and reads the result. The farther away, the smaller the pin.
A $20 version that uses no batteries is often far better suited for most golfers, imho. The only time it's not as useful is when the pin is missing or non-standard size.
Too much real-world value
by
RobertB-DC
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
I'm afraid this gadget has too much real-world application to be of interest to the geek crowd.
We just bought a few acres of land, and this device would have been the ideal tool for the surveyor. It's clear from the discrepancies between the survey drawing and the aerial views that the surveyor made his measurements, wrote them down, then made his drawing from his notes. The numbers are right, but the outlines of the buildings aren't quite where they should be.
This device, plus a windoze PC with appropriate software, will let the surveyor simply walk to the survey points, point & shoot, hotsync, and print. It's just what the surveyor needs to do his/her job.
So it's obviously too useful to be a geek toy.
-- Stressed? Me?
Of course not.
Stress is what a rubber band feels before it breaks, silly.
This sounds like a civilian version of the GPS/lidar/etc/binoculars recently used by the military for spotting targets for artillery and other attack missions.
Look at the target, center the crosshairs, read the *target's* GPS co-ordinates (or dump them into the battle net).
-- Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
Archaeology
by
ParticleGirl
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
It's the perfect tool for an archaeologist. We need compasses, GPS, inclinometers, digital cameras-- but I probably couldn't use it under the canopy of a jungle, and since the battery is only good for 8 hours and rechargable in a car-- and I wouldn't see a car nor a generator for a couple of months-- it remains, sadly, impractical. I guess I just have to tote around the 6 separate, heavier instruments and the supply of batteries. If this had smarter batteries, I would be ecstatic right now. I'm sure that archaeologists who work closer to civilization (and therefore care less whether they're carting 1 instrument or 6) are probably pretty psyched, though!
Slashdot Mirror
... for something like this with a cell phone. this is close but the wait continues.
I've been asked by golfers if there's a device that will let them measure the exact distance to the pin (or at least the green).
I've always been at a loss to tell them what they could use, at least when it came to handheld optical devices.
You are in error. No-one is screaming. Thank you for your cooperation.
I'm afraid this gadget has too much real-world application to be of interest to the geek crowd.
We just bought a few acres of land, and this device would have been the ideal tool for the surveyor. It's clear from the discrepancies between the survey drawing and the aerial views that the surveyor made his measurements, wrote them down, then made his drawing from his notes. The numbers are right, but the outlines of the buildings aren't quite where they should be.
This device, plus a windoze PC with appropriate software, will let the surveyor simply walk to the survey points, point & shoot, hotsync, and print. It's just what the surveyor needs to do his/her job.
So it's obviously too useful to be a geek toy.
Stressed? Me? Of course not. Stress is what a rubber band feels before it breaks, silly.
This sounds like a civilian version of the GPS/lidar/etc/binoculars recently used by the military for spotting targets for artillery and other attack missions.
Look at the target, center the crosshairs, read the *target's* GPS co-ordinates (or dump them into the battle net).
Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
It's the perfect tool for an archaeologist. We need compasses, GPS, inclinometers, digital cameras-- but I probably couldn't use it under the canopy of a jungle, and since the battery is only good for 8 hours and rechargable in a car-- and I wouldn't see a car nor a generator for a couple of months-- it remains, sadly, impractical. I guess I just have to tote around the 6 separate, heavier instruments and the supply of batteries. If this had smarter batteries, I would be ecstatic right now. I'm sure that archaeologists who work closer to civilization (and therefore care less whether they're carting 1 instrument or 6) are probably pretty psyched, though!
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