SSI’s GeoProfiler® systems offer an industry first dual purpose solution:  (1) a mobile surveying system that generates ultra-high-resolution terrain data for site design and machine control applications, and (2) an inertial profiling system for compliance with DOT quality assurance specifications and contractor quality control objectives.  With either SSI’s CS9350 high speed or CS8750 lightweight GeoProfiler® systems, one integrated solution eliminates the need for separate surveying equipment and a separate pavement ride quality inspection device (high speed profiler, lightweight profiler, profilograph, etc.).  SSIs GeoProfiler® systems generate a high resolution topography map on a lightweight or standard vehicle platform.  The GeoProfiler’s® feature an embedded high resolution GPS system (with L1/L2 RTK corrections via UHF radio or associated network of reference stations) for fine grain topography mapping with data files compatible with commonly used civil engineering design software and machine control applications. An Overview of the GeoProfiler® system is below, along with details about the Mobile Surveying Vehicle Platforms, the GeoProfiler’s® capabilities for Rapid Surveying & Topography Mapping, the GeoProfiler’s® compatibility with Site Design and Machine Control Applications, as well as detail on the system's Hardware Features and Software Features.  Contact SSI for further information, pricing and availability of the CS8750 or CS9350 GeoProfiler® systems.

CS8750 Mobile Surveying Tool (Lightweight Vehicle Configuration)	GeoProfiler® Base with Corrections Radio and AC/DC Power	CS9350 GeoProfiler® Surveying Tool (Standard Vehicle Configuration)

OVERVIEW

SSI ‘s GeoProfiler® is a mobile surveying system that generates high resolution topography mapping in a fraction of the time taken by conventional surveying methods--which take longer to generate far fewer points over the same area.  The GeoProfiler® is also a best-of-class inertial profiling system for measuring surface ride quality in compliance with agency specifications (e.g. ASTM E950, AASHTO PP49, Tex-1001-S, state and provincial DOT).  The SSI GeoProfiler® systems have been developed through years of engineering development to integrate the best of inertial profiling system technology with world class survey instrumentation. 

The GeoProfiler® system components can be moved among high speed or lightweight vehicles, or integrated with SSI’s inertial profiling system on a dedicated host vehicle.  The GeoProfiler’s® rover GPS unit is paired with any of (1) a static RTK corrected base station supplied by SSI, or (2) various models of customer-owned GPS base units, (3) an always-on reference network of associated base stations. 

The GeoProfiler® system is supplied with on-screen instructions and full featured software for system set-up, calibration and project site topography mapping.  The surface topography data exports to formats that are compatible with commonly used civil engineering design software and machine control applications.  Either on-board the data collection vehicle’s Toughbook computer, or on desktop computers, users can plan, cut and fill areas and do automatic jobsite grade planning according to the user’s desired or required design criteria. 

MOBILE SURVEYING VEHICLE PLATFORMS

The SSI GeoProfiler® systems use a high resolution GPS subsystem embedded within the instrumentation of an ultra-precision inertial (laser) surface profiling system.  The roving GPS system is paired with a stationary high resolution GPS base station with L1/L2 RTK corrections communicated via UHF radio (or no dedicated base station with corrections from a reference network).  The inertial profiling and GPS subsystems can be operated together or separately according to the project conditions, user requirements and the GeoProfiler® system’s specifications.  The GeoProfiler® systems are is available in several vehicle mounted configurations: (1) as a portable module that installs onto highway vehicles by attachment to a Class III (2 inch x 2 inch square tube) towing receiver with power from the host vehicle’s standard 12 volt power supply.  (2) Configured by SSI onto a supplied Ingersoll Rand (Club-Car) industrial utility vehicle, and (3) with attachment hardware to mount to customer specified lightweight or all-terrain vehicles.  The core components are portable and, with available mounting and quick-release hardware, the system can be moved among several host vehicle platforms. The GeoProfiler® system is operated on a supplied military grade Panasonic Toughbook 19 or Toughbook 30, which serves as the operator interface device for mobile surveying, design and optional site preparation and machine control functions.  Touch-screen controls and menu-driven software ease operator training and recurring work with the system by non-dedicated personnel.  The GeoProfiler® is designed to be a cost effective, one-person operation.

RAPID SURVEYING & TOPOGRAPHY MAPPING

The SSI GeoProfiler® system’s software uses high resolution GPS instrumentation with RTK corrections (either a dedicated static base with UHF radios or from network of reference stations via broadband or internet).  The GeoProfiler’s® capability to quickly survey large areas with dense topography maps has been developed through years of research to integrate the best of inertial profiling system technology partnership with best of class survey instrumentation.  The SSI Profiler software is a suite of custom applications for system calibration, data collection (surveying), data analysis, and data conversion to standard civil engineering industry formats. Each software module is easily accessed on the Windows based Toughbook computer from the top level menu:

SSI Profiler Software Suite – System Calibration, Data Collection, Data Analysis & Reporting Options

The Data Collector software subroutine on-board the mobile surveying platform enables more detailed and rapid terrain mapping than conventional land surveying methods or aerial topography mapping systems.  Setup is easy and computer aided, with push-button choices for system set-up and calibration: 

Simple Survey / Profile System Setup and Calibration Options

Using the menu-driven Data Collector software routine, the operator can automatically capture and record dense, high resolution topography data.  The data output by the system is compatible with most commonly used design or machine control applications.  The higher resolution terrain data allows users to undertake staking and grading determinations with greater speed, accuracy, and computer aided efficiency than is possible with conventional surveying methods.  With the Data Collector software program, a dense collection of surface points are collected as the mobile surveying vehicle is driven across project areas without stopping.  For example, one operator can survey 200 vehicle passable acres and collect about 20,000 points in a single day. 

Sample Active Screen While Surveying

The GeoProfiler’s® terrain data files can be easily exported to text or design compatible formats with SSI’s Survey Translator software.  The data can then be used in most design programs for instant topography content or 3D surface maps, volumetric calculations and other design outputs based on user-selectable parameters.  The speed of the SSI mobile surveying system allows more frequent surveys for enhanced project management, reporting and cost control. 

The GeoProfiler® is capable of generating a richer topography map than conventional surveying methods in a fraction of the time.  The figure below illustrates a terrain map generated on a 400 ft x 400 ft test surface in thirty minutes by the SSI CX850 mobile surveying unit with the Data Collector software.  A manual survey of the same area would take four hours or more to collect far fewer points.  The mobile surveying unit generated five times as many data points (~1000 shots) than the manual survey (~200 shots) and consumed 80% less time (30 minutes for the GeoProfiler® versus over four hours or more for the conventional survey.

CSX50 Survey Unit/AMW Topo Software (3.67 Acres)	Conventional Survey Terrain Map (3.67 acres)
(~1000 Shots in 30 Minutes)	(~200 Shots in 4 hours)

GEOPROFILER® DATA FOR SITE DESIGN & MACHINE CONTROL APPLICATIONS

The GeoProifler’s® surface data can be read by numerous site preparation applications to implement user specified design criteria (such as cut and fill areas, and automatic jobsite grade planning).  Supported formats for converting the surface terrain data include PNEZD, GPGGA, Excel and CSV/text. The on-screen display of the DataCollector’s software shows positioning coordinates, host platform speed, GPS quality, and real time profile view.  With the dense terrain data generated by the GeoProfiler®, users can achieve greater precision when applying project design criteria within their existing civil engineering software.  Repeat surveys can be quickly undertaken with the GeoProfiler® to monitor progress of the project surface throughout construction to completion. 

The GeoProfiler’s® surface data can also be used for material movement or placement with numerous existing machine control systems.  In addition to compatible data, the core survey components from the GeoProfiler® system can be detached and connected reattached to numerous types of equipment for use with machine control systems.  For further information on machine control capabilities available from SSI Click here.

Pictures:  (click to enlarge)

 HARDWARE FEATURES

SOFTWARE FEATURES