BW Sessions: EarthCam

BW Sessions: EarthCam

On July 30, 2014, Burnham Works held our third Tech Talk Tuesday. On Tuesdays, we host a different speaker to present a solution or product to a crowd of professionals from the built environment, eager to learn about how innovative products and services can change the way business is done in our community.

This week's presenter was Keith Knowles, Regional Business Development Manager for the Midwest region at EarthCam. Keith has been in the technology space for 25 years and demonstrated to us how his product works, who it benefits and some of the competitive advantages EarthCam features. 

What is EarthCam and what does it do?

1. EarthCam provides streaming visual content products and services to customers, including those involved with project-based construction, government and tourism.  Their primary market is construction companies.
2. EarthCam provides both hardware and software products and services.  They sell high definition digital cameras for outdoor locations where images are streamed via hard-lined or cellular connections to cloud-based platforms that can be accessed via desktop PCs, laptops or mobile device.

What are the competitive advantages of EarthCam?

• Interactive web-based dashboards and accessibility capabilities.  
• The dashboard allows clients to access an EarthCam calendar feature that allows the client to access recorded data from past events.  
• Whereas past photos are stored on a camera and can get lost, all previous photos are neatly organized in a calendar that can be accessed at anytime without difficulty.
• With the dashboard, clients can access the camera and tilt/pan as needed.  
• There is a timelapse component that allows the client to watch a time-lapsed video of progress on any particular project.  
• This also enables the client to use EarthCam as a marketing piece, as well as a progress tracking component.  Promote the time-lapse video on social media
• High quality photos/video.  3MP – 24MP
• From a 3,000,000 ft elevation, to a 3in interior detail
• Software is software.  And it’s pretty much the same across the industry.  Where EarthCam excels is the hardware.  Their hardware is superior to competitors.

What is EarthCam's cost?

For as little as $14/day (based on project size), a company can get a camera on-site to take pictures of progress.

Having a marketing manager take pictures of a site costs significantly more.  Including salary, benefits, travel.  And there’s the risk that poor weather or illness prevents him/her from making it to the site to accomplish the task.