Students at the University of Kentucky at Lexington are gaining exclusive research experience with the help of Maptek I-Site 8800 3D laser scanning technology.
‘The applications of this scanner are endless,’ said Kyle Perry, Assistant Professor of Mining Engineering. ‘Our graduate students have used it for monitoring highwall and impoundment movement, as well as calculating cast percentages of surface blasts.’
About 45 undergraduate students in the Mining Engineering Department have already been exposed to the I-Site system in their mining engineering surveying course. Students are eligible for hands-on experience once they have completed the fundamentals of surveying. Laser scanning is now an option alongside traditional surveying instruments.
The university purchased the long range scanner in mid 2012, receiving educational licences for
I-Site Studio software and Maptek Vulcan mine planning software.
‘The I-Site 8800 scanner and I-Site Studio software have greatly enhanced our faculty’s research capability, as well as given our students a new perspective on surveying and project monitoring,’ said Perry.
Since acquiring the survey system, graduate students have experimented with the laser scanner in the field and helped professors with their research tasks. According to Perry, students have been excited by the I-Site hardware and software, and enjoy being able to collect data in a quick and easy way.
‘By training on the very latest survey hardware and software, students will be able to take their new skills into their chosen careers,’ said Perry. ‘Exposure to innovative tools sets graduates up to better solve problems within the mining industry.’
