Tidbits: Hazard Manager for iPad, other iPad news

Hazard Manager 1.0 for iPad

Ontario-based OS&B has announced the new Hazard Manager 1.0 for Apple’s iPad. This is a spatially-based “workplace inspector.” It enables the automation of the entry, configuration and export of hazard points recorded on a workplace floor plan. The app can email out date-stamped, user-stamped or x-y geo-referenced .csv hazard data to GIS and CAD or spreadsheet apps.

01 - Hazard Manager for iPad.

Accuracy is improved using floor plan Cartesian coordinates rather than GPS. The program allows health and safety works to do hazards management without trucking along binders and paper, recording pertinent data for their health and safety program. The program requires the upload of a floor plan file. It cannot make a CAD-based floor plan file. It only accepts this floor plan as a JPEG file as well. The GPS-based data is recorded, along with user-input into a layered structure and this data can then be emailed up to GIS or CAD programs. You can find Hazard Manager 1.0 on the App Store.

Other iPad News

We have just learned of Citrix Receiver for iPad. What an amazing application this is. With Receiver for iPad it is actually possible to connect to thousands of PC applications via the iPad and control them at native speeds. You can conduct virtual surgery in 3D or even implement a sophisticated BIM or CAD program. Citrix Receiver for Windows and Mac has been around already and does the same thing but with iPad you can have “always-connected” access to PC applications from anywhere with an AT&T 3G account.

02 - Complex 3D virtual surgery programs running on Citrix Receiver on iPad. This shows you what is possible with virtual desktop/virtual workstation and virtual server technologies.

Here is an image of the virtual surgery application. Very cool interface in the program in general and it looks great on the iPad (as if it was made for it.)

In other iPad News we want to point out to current or potential iPad users that there are many new and interesting iPad applications out there. Some are actually older and we just didn’t know about them. Here’s a list to take a look at:

• Adobe Ideas 1.0 for iPad – Vector drawing and sketching tool. This app looks very promising and with the addition of more sophisticated layer features will really rock! Today you can sketch over photos (think buildings and existing conditions photos and sketching out new ideas for additions, etc.
• goBIM – Now out for iPad as well. The latest release 1.2.1 continues to push the app forward. This is from a small-time developer so it shows you what is possible in this space (BIM on iPad). Just think if a larger company threw some serious programming power at this!
• WebEx for iPad – Join WebEx meetings using your iPad.
• GoToMeeting from Citrix for iPad – Join GoToMeetings using your iPad.
• Things by Cultured Code – very cool business name, btw! Looks really great!

We’ll keep scanning the horizon for superior iPad applications. We realize that many of you just can’t justify buying one until there is that one killer app! 😉