SiteWalk allows you to collect photos of the project's progress by walking through the construction site with a 360° camera connected to Dalux Mobile.
SiteWalk identifies the walked path and converts the footage into a series of detailed 360° images linked to the project's digital drawing or model.
SiteWalks from different dates can be compared and it is possible to create tasks from 360° images.
SiteWalk is included in Field Pro.
Table of contents
- How to set up SiteWalk
- How to record SiteWalks
- How to access recorded SiteWalks
- Export SiteWalks
- Recommended equipment
How to set up SiteWalk
User rights
To create new SiteWalks you will need to be in a user group with 'View and upload photos' permissions for Capture:
SiteWalk is activated in Settings
Field
Capture types
Select SiteWalks.
If Capture is not visible: ClickAdd features
'Capture'
Activate.
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Technical information
For SiteWalk it is necessary to have a 3D model in your project and a floor plan. This is because the SiteWalk is mapped to the floor plan drawing and uses the 3D model to analyze the path walked. Supported cameras for the SiteWalk feature are currently:
- Insta360 X4 (Requires sold-separately SD memory card)
- Ricoh Theta X
- Ricoh Theta Z1
How to record SiteWalks
Tips before getting started
To get the most out of a SiteWalk recording, it is advised to follow these tips:
Technical information
You should always ensure that the camera firmware is up to date!
- Start and finish - Choose easily recognizable places on the drawings (e.g. doorways) that are at least 10 meters apart.
- Avoid darkness - Turn on lights if possible.
- Stay on the same floor - Only record one floor per video.
- Duration - The video must be between 15 seconds and 6 minutes long.
- Charge the camera - Avoid running out of battery while recording.
More tips and tricks
- Plan your path - The walk is easier if you know where you are going. Take a look at the site first and identify the places you want to visit.
- Slow and steady pace - Keeping a calm and steady pace will improve the result of the SiteWalk.
- Head-mounted camera - Ideally, the camera is mounted to your helmet. This will keep the camera firm and steady over your head for a better view of the site.
- Avoid sudden movements - Keeping the camera steady helps reduce blurred images.
- Revisit places - It is always a good idea to walk twice in the same area. This helps the system recognize where you have been and will improve the path of the SiteWalk.
- Make sure the start and end points are correct - The start and end points marked in Dalux must match the start and end points on site.
Mounting your 360° camera on a helmet with a helmet camera mount is the recommended method. SiteWalk works best in well-lit environments. If the area is not well-lit, consider using a portable 360 halo light.
Technical information
Start by connecting your phone to the 360° camera – check the manufacturer's guide if needed.
Insta360 X4: Connect to the Insta360 app - X4 Support
Ricoh Theta X: https://support.theta360.com/uk/manual/x/content/prepare/prepare_09.html
Ricoh Theta Z1: https://support.theta360.com/uk/manual/z1/content/prepare/prepare_06.html
Step-by-step guide
Step 1: Locate the start point of the SiteWalk
You can start a new SiteWalk in Dalux Mobile, either from the Home tab or the
Locations tab.
Locate your starting point on the plan drawing in the Locations tab. Then press on the drawing, press
New registration and then select SiteWalk from the menu. Doing so will automatically add your selected location as the starting point of the SiteWalk.
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Be as precise as possible, for the best accuracy. Try, for instance, to start and stop in door frames.
Step 2: Connect the camera to your device
Press 'Recording' to connect to the camera. Make sure you are using a supported camera. The app will guide you in connecting to the camera. When the camera is connected, you can start your SiteWalk recording.
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Step 3: Start recording and start walking
Ideally, mount the camera to your helmet, and hit the 'Start recording'. Make sure the recording has begun and start walking through the site. Remember to walk at a slow and steady pace and stay on the same floor.
Step 4: End the recording and set the end location
When done with your walk, press 'Stop recording'. Make sure the end location is marked as precisely as possible.
After finishing a SiteWalk, you can jump right into another SiteWalk recording with the 'Save and continue SiteWalk’. Your selected end location from the previous SiteWalk is automatically set as the Start location for the next one.
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Step 5: Send the SiteWalk for processing
When done press 'Transfer SiteWalks', and the SiteWalks will be sent to Dalux for processing. You can continue using Dalux while the SiteWalk leaves your outbox and while it is being processed.
How to access recorded SiteWalks
User rights
To see SiteWalks you will need to be in a user group with 'View photos' or 'View and upload photos' permissions for Capture:
You can access SiteWalks in either Locations or
Field.
To get an overview of all SiteWalks made on the project, go to Field
Capture
SiteWalks.
In this view, you can see all the SiteWalks made. The grid view is grouped by level and will show a thumbnail of the floor plan and the SiteWalk path.
If needed, you can also change to a list view and back by using the /
-icons.
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You can access the SiteWalk directly by double-clicking on a thumbnail or a SiteWalk in the list view.
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Alternatively, SiteWalks can be seen on floor plans as well. To do so go to Locations and find the floor plan that SiteWalks have been made on. In the side menu, you can filter for
SiteWalks.
This will show SiteWalks made on the floor plan. You can use the side menu to filter the shown SiteWalks based on a date range.
The color of the SiteWalk paths will change based on the selected time filter.
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You can click on the SiteWalk lines to show the different dates. If there are multiple SiteWalks in the same location, they will be shown with the newest SiteWalk on top. You can click on any of the SiteWalk previews to open them.
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View and navigate in SiteWalks
When viewing a SiteWalk you can click and drag with your mouse to look around. The green dots can be clicked to navigate to that specific area in the SiteWalk.
You can navigate through the view using the controls at the bottom. These controls allow you to go to the first or last point, move to the next or previous point, or enable auto-play for the SiteWalk.
You can also click on a point on the SiteWalk in the plan drawing to jump to that point of the SiteWalk.
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Create tasks in SiteWalks
When viewing SiteWalks it is also possible to click anywhere on the image to create a new task.
Click on the image, then on New registration, and then select the task type.
When doing so, a cropped version of the SiteWalk will be added to the task.
You can also add annotations to the screenshots.
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How to compare SiteWalks
If multiple SiteWalks have been done in the same area, it is possible to compare these side-by-side. This makes it easy to track construction progress, if SiteWalks are done on a consistent schedule.
It is always possible to compare a SiteWalk to the 3D model of the building.
To start comparing SiteWalks open a SiteWalk, in one of the methods described above.
Then click Compare in the upper right corner.
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By default, the comparison will open with the selected SiteWalk and the 3D model. You can change to compare between two SiteWalks, by selecting another date from the dropdown menu. When comparing SiteWalks the views are automatically synced.
You can click and drag with your mouse to look around.
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Export SiteWalks
You can export SiteWalk from Dalux as an interactive PDF. This PDF allows you to access the 360° images from the path on your computer.
To export a SiteWalk go to:
Field
Capture
SiteWalks
Select a specific SiteWalk
Export.
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This will export the SiteWalk in a .zip format. The export includes:
- A floorplan, with each position of the 360° images taken during the SiteWalk
- Each 360° image taken during the SiteWalk
- A panoramic image viewer
By clicking on different points in the drawing, you can directly open the 360° images. You can also navigate through the images just like when viewing the SiteWalk in Dalux.
The export feature enables you to share SiteWalks with users who do not have Dalux. Once exported and downloaded, you can access the SiteWalk without an internet connection.
Recommended equipment
The right equipment will help you in creating high-quality SiteWalks. The listed products are examples of supported hardware. Dalux has no affiliation with either manufacturers or distributors.
SiteWalk can only be used with a supported camera, as listed below.
Required:
- Mobile phone: The phone should support the Dalux App on either iOS or Android.
- Safety Helmet: The construction helmet should fulfill your local security guidelines.
-
Supported Camera:
- Insta360 X4 (The Insta camera has no internal memory and needs an SD card to function. It has to be of a specific format which can be found on the homepage)
- Ricoh Theta X
- Ricoh Theta Z1
-
Camera Mount: A 1/4" camera mount lets you install the camera on your helmet.
- GoPro camera mount (adapter for 1/4" necessary, for example this one or that one)
- Quick release camera mount
Optional:
- Power bank/Extra batteries: We recommend carrying either a power bank or extra rechargeable batteries for your camera model.