TechBrief

The IT Forum Conference provides participants an opportunity to network, share information, solve problems, keep up-to-date with the latest IT developments relating to the construction industry and to discuss and share best practices on some of the most pressing IT challenges. The 8th Annual IT Forum Conference, scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 4 and Friday, Aug. 5, in Chicago, Illinois will include feature topics such as Cybersecurity, Maximize Performance for People and Projects, IoT, TechTalks, IT Budgeting, Project Management, Document Management and Collaboration, Connectivity and IoT, Affordable Solutions, Mobile Apps in Construction, Tech Demos, and much more.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/ngc-nwl/articles/index-v3.asp?aid=384086&issueID=47585 to view the full article online.

Stay at the Beautiful Radisson Blu Aqua When in Chicago

This year's IT Forum Conference is being held at the Raddison Aqua Blu Hotel, Chicago. Make your reservations today!

221 North Columbus Drive
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 565-5258
Fax: (312) 565-0258
www.radissonblue/chicago

To make reservations: Click here and use promotion code INFO16.

---

Brent Darnell
Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016
8:15 - 9:15 a.m.
Brent Darnell is a mechanical engineer and a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology and worked as an engineer in the construction business for 20 years. He is a leading authority on emotional intelligence and a pioneer of its use in the construction and engineering industries. Since 2000, Brent has helped to improve the social competence, physical and mental performance, and leadership skills of thousands of people in over 70 companies in more than 20 countries around the world. He is an adjunct professor at Auburn and Penn State, teaching emotional intelligence to their technical students. 

 

---

Keynote Address: Digital Technologies in Construction: Impacts and Trends

Mark Sawyer
Friday, Aug. 5, 2016
10:15 - 11:15 a.m. 
Mark Sawyer is general manager of the GC/CM Division of Trimble. Mr. Sawyer’s team delivers hardware and software solutions and services to leading general contractors and construction managers around the world. Mark joined Trimble in 2012 as a result of its acquisition of Vico Software where he was president & CEO.  Before Vico, he was president & CEO of @Last Software where he led that company’s merger with Google. From 1993 to 2000 Mark was with Autodesk, finally serving as vice president and general manager of the AEC division. Mark received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University. 

---

 

10 - 11:15 a.m.
CONNECTIVITY AND HOW INTERNET OF THINGS (IoT) WILL IMPACT CONTRACTORS
Northwestern University – Dr. Burcin Kaplanoglu
This presentation will focus on three key areas (site connectivity, future of wireless connectivity and Internet of things) and the impact to  contractors and their IT departments. The site connectivity section will present the major challenges and solutions available today, and where we are headed. The future of wireless connectivity portion will present the current state of telecom industry and the impact of new technology deployments (e.g., small cells, 5G). Finally, the Internet of things section will define IoT, explain what it means for a contractor, present challenges, opportunities and share some current implementations in engineering and construction. 

---

12:45 - 2 p.m.
AFFORDABLE SOLUTIONS/OPEN FORUM INCLUDING MOBILE APPS
Steve Mulka
Typically a favorite among IT Forum attendees, this open forum setting allows IT professionals to share with others the affordable programs and processes that have worked for them.

---

---

The pressures of running a construction fleet leave managers little time for strategic changes because they spend most of their workday reacting to the constant demands of tracking and maintaining field vehicles and keeping workers on schedule. To make things as efficient as possible, managers have learned that they need to easily capture and consolidate vast quantities of data produced by in-vehicle devices and the handhelds of mobile workers.
BY JOHN CAMERON, TRIMBLE FIELD SERVICE MANAGEMENT

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/ngc-nwl/articles/index-v3.asp?aid=384108&issueID=47585 to view the full article online.

The Department of Transportation wants cities to be smarter. That's why it formed the Smart City Challenge, a contest that challenged cities to draw up plans showing how they would make their city smarter to integrate emerging technology like self-driving cars. The winning city will receive $40 million and will be announced this month.
SOURCE: BUSINESS INSIDER

Visit http://www.businessinsider.com/google-expert-says-smart-cities-wont-help-driverless-cars-2016-6 to view the full article online.

Microsoft Corporation is collaborating with Facebook Incorporated to put up a subsea cable across the Atlantic Ocean to boost connections for cloud and online services.
SOURCE: DIGITAL JOURNAL

Visit http://www.digitaljournal.com/technology/microsoft-facebook-building-giant-cable-under-atlantic-ocean/article/466503 to view the full article online.

The Construction Open Standards Alliance (COSA) is a community of construction industry professionals who support open integration standards in construction software. Join the effort today.

Visit http://cosa.build/ to view the full article online.