App development to total station control and remote operation

Abstract

In situations where high accuracy measurements are required, the remote operation of total stations becomes a desirable option to reduce the direct contact between the operator and the instrument. Furthermore, it automates the verification processes of the collected data. This work aimed to explore, in the scope of instrument automation, the potential of using a communication protocol in the development of an mobile app for the control and operation of a robotic total station, Leica TS15 model, using the GeoCOM communication protocol. For the development of the app, the MIT App Inventor web platform was used, which enabled the elaboration of the interface, as well as the programming of smartphone connection functions with the total station, distance measurement, vertical and horizontal scope movement and station rotation, automatic prism search and movement between forward and reverse measurement positions. In addition, the connection via bluetooth was used to send commands and receive data by a Smartphone with Android operating system. As a result, a mobile app was developed capable of controlling the robotic total station, allowing remote control, demonstrating the potential of Bluetooth-Smartphone-Station integration.