Measure in digitally yourself!

Whether it's pipes, fiber optic connections, bridges, roads or dikes, this new digital measuring system allows anyone to take ground, road and water construction measurements in the open air, to the nearest centimeter, at any time of day. A new Dutch start-up recently launched the purely Dutch product.

Two young entrepreneurs from Hilversum put their heads together and started marXact, or "marX your eXact position," in late 2016. They saw that taking measurements in civil engineering was a cumbersome and costly process that could only be performed by professionals. This had to be simpler, they thought, and developed a system with which digital measurements can be taken to centimeter accuracy at a low price.

UNI total package

How does it work and what do you need for it? "Basically, it involves taking measurements using digital measuring equipment called GPS spheres, a method that has been around for some time," says co-founder and commercial director Tommy van der Heijden. "Only, with prices of 10,000 to 20,000 euros, the current systems are extremely expensive. Moreover, only experts can perform the measurements and all collected data have to go through an extensive process before they can finally be read in. With our UNI, all this is a thing of the past!"

The UNI-Connect app that works on any device with a browser controls theUNI to measure in points

In order to measure digital points accurately, simply and quickly, this new system requires three things: hardware (GPS ball) to receive the GNSS signals, a correction signal to be able to measure to centimeter accuracy and software to check the points, save them immediately and integrate them into your own software or BIM environment. With the UNI, marXact offers a complete and universal package. An important part of this is the UNI-Cloud API, with which the UNI can be integrated into your own software and endless conversions become a thing of the past. Furthermore, only a measuring stick is needed to screw on the sphere. "The UNI-Connect app that works on any device with a browser controls the UNI to measure in the points. Very simple, anyone can do it. In addition, the UNI is completely plug and play and with a price of 2,995 euros is much cheaper than existing digital systems. That there is a lot of interest in our UNI is shown by the number of major contractors at home and abroad who have already ordered one!"