Improvements to communications technology 
complete the viability of mobile office solutions for 
surveyors. . Whilst mobile (or cellular) phone 
networks already offer verbal contact with business 
colleagues and clients, the implementation of digital 
telecommunications networks (replacing analogue 
networks in many countries) offers the possibility of 
transferring data from the field via a mobile phone. 
A few models of mobile digital phone already cater 
for this requirement. (e.g., Nokia 211D). They have 
the dual capability of handling voice and data 
communications. 
INTEGRATING MOBILE OFFICE 
SOLUTIONS WITH *SENSOR" 
TECHNOLOGY 
Sensor technology refers to electronic instruments 
that can "sense" a measurement and process it into 
interpretable data. (e.g., EDM measurements into 
distances). Whilst a "sensor" includes remote 
sensing, in the context of this paper, it is used to 
refer primarily to total stations and GPS receivers. 
GPS sensors that permit centimeter accuracy in real 
time (e.g., Leica GPS-System 300 with RT-SKT) 
offer many improvements to collecting survey data. 
Savings in man power can be significant. It is 
possible to use only one field operator at a roving 
GPS receiver. One other major improvement to 
survey data collection is that the operator is located 
at the point being measured - the point of interest. 
So, whilst less field personnel can be used to do the 
field work, their effectiveness is also increased. 
Observing and recording information about the 
point of interest is more effective when the observer 
is located at the point than remotely at the sensor. 
The efficiency gain is particularly noticeable as 
more information is collected about the points of 
interest (e.g., attributes, topology). 
Presently, the total station is the surveyors 
“workhorse” for digital data collection. Current 
models of total stations have integrated considerable 
computation processing power on board or in a 
hand held data recorder. Many software routines 
combine measurements with real time computations 
(e.g., free stationing, road alignment design and 
stakeout). Presently, these software routines tend to 
support field procedure decisions rather than 
substitute office processing. Limitations to 
graphical display size, computation and storage 
power together with ergonomic handling and 
portability considerations have tended to restrict 
data processing to the office: “post-processing” 
278 
field data. With the advent of penpad technology, 
ergonomic and portability limitations become less 
problematic. At the same time, graphical screen size 
and processing power are improved. 
For data transfer, penpad technology is readily 
integrated with total station technology through 
RS232 cable connection and communication 
software. Ergonomically, the integration is not as 
straight forward. Devices to support penpads on 
tripods are available. However, this still places the 
total station and penpad operator at the instrument 
position, which is remote to the point of interest. 
Recent improvements to total station technology 
make the use of penpads even more beneficial to 
finishing processing in the field. These 
improvements are based on three types of 
technology integration. Motorized drives, target 
recognition (or prism lock-in) and telemetry links. 
(e.g., Leica TPS-System 1000 with ATRI target 
recognition). Like GPS, field man power can be 
limited to one person, and the effectiveness of the 
operator can be increased by locating the operator 
at the point of interest. 
In this case the integration of penpad technology 
requires more design consideration than mere data 
logging. Since the operator is remote to the total 
station instrument, the instrument itself needs to be 
controlled through the penpad. Many of the 
keyboard commands available to an operator behind 
the instrument need to be placed within the penpad. 
Prompts, operational flags and status information 
all need to be built into the penpad software. 
However, to really achieve progression towards a 
mobile office the operational commands for the 
"sensor" must be integrated with normal processing 
software for the office. In other words, an 
opportunity exists for substituting both office 
processing systems and the “sensor” keyboards and 
Processors. If the claim of “substitution 
technology” appears too extravagant, then, at least, 
there is an opportunity for complimentary 
technology that places the operator at the point of 
interest and permits more “finish” in the field. 
“Fieldlink” is a software module for a portfolio of 
Windows surveying software called "LISCAD 
Plus". Like all the LISCAD Plus software 
modules, it is seamlessly integrated into the 
database and Windows Man Machine Interface 
(MMI) of LISCAD Plus. It provides a real time 
link to total stations, recording coordinate data 
simultaneously with field records, and graphical 
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B2. Vienna 1996