Visualize Better. Understand Better. Report Better.
The new release of EKKO_Project, V6 R2, is now available on the Sensors & Software website for download. New features include Autogain for cross-sections and depth slices, new MapView Interpretations, plotting interpretations in 3D, GeoTIFF files, and more! For EKKO_Project V6 license owners, this is a free upgrade.
The EKKO_Project GPR data analysis software is used to take your GPR data from the field to the final report. It can be summed up in three words: Visualize. Understand. Report.
GPR data is very visual. During data collection, we see cross-sections in real time that are saved and later processed into depth slices (so-called “heat maps”) and 3D volumes. GPR data must be interpreted to gain understanding of the subsurface which then enables informed decisions. The key to the best interpretation is good visualization. The last step is to communicate that information to our audience as a report that can take many forms, depending on their requirements.
Sensors & Software has released EKKO_Project V6 R2 that allows our customers to do all these things but now even better than before.
For customers who already own an EKKO_Project V6 license, V6 R2 is a free upgrade. For those wanting to try EKKO_Project, a trial version is also available. Go to our website to download the new installation and explore these new features (https://www.sensoft.ca/gpr-user/gpr-system-software/).
Autogain
GPR cross sections plotted in Line Preview and LineView automatically are plotted with a new Autogain function that optimizes the gain of the GPR signals from shallow to deep, ensuring that all important reflections are visible, getting you to understanding your GPR data faster (Figure 1).
SliceView-Lines
The SliceView-Lines dialog offers many processing options to generate your depth slices from non-grid data. While this is powerful for people wanting to optimize their GPR data processing, it can be difficult for users without GPR data processing experience.
The new Autogain algorithm, mentioned above, has also been added to SliceView-Lines, ensuring that, even when using the default processing parameters, the GPR signals are visible in all depth slices from shallow to deep (Figure 2). This helps to quickly understand what the GPR survey has discovered, with little or no tweaking of the depth slice processing parameters.
MapView Interpretations
When scrolling up and down through depth slices, interesting linear features are often visible in the GPR data. Linear targets are of particular interest to many GPR operators, including utility locators and archaeologists.
The new MapView Interpretations feature allows users to draw lines along features they see in depth slices (Figure 3). These interpretations are saved in the GPR Project Report CSV file and can be plotted in 3D (see below).
Interpretations in 3D
EKKO_Project allows users to add point interpretations to GPR signal responses, such as hyperbolas, in GPR cross-sections and to add the new MapView Interpretations, mentioned above, to linear responses visible in depth slices.
A new feature of EKKO_Project V6 R2 is a 3D display of all point and MapView Interpretations (Figure 4). A 3D display allows the data to be rotated 360 degrees in all directions to allow the interpretations to be viewed at any angle. Further, each type of interpretation can be turned on or off to display some or all interpretations, helping to reveal patterns that provide more insight to the targets in the data.
GeoTIFF files
GeoTIFF files are graphics image files, TIFF files specifically, with the geographic location embedded in them. The geographic location usually comes from GPS collected during the GPR survey, but EKKO_Project allows users to add geographic data to their GPR data in post processing.
Saving GPR depth slices generated by EKKO_Project as GeoTIFF files allows easy export and plotting in third-party mapping and GIS software, such as ArcGIS, QGIS (Figure 5), and Google Earth.
Augmented GPR Project Report CSV files
EKKO_Project has always output GPR cross-sections, depth slices and 3D volumes in CSV spreadsheet files. At customer request, these CSV files have been augmented with more XYZ information, including latitude, longitude, UTM Easting and Northing positional information. This additional information opens exporting GPR data and GPR data interpretations to more third-party software programs (Figure 6). For example, importing GPR depth slices into Golden Software’s Surfer program for data processing, or GPR grid data to Point Cloud software, such as CloudCompare.
These new features (and more) add to the proven power of the EKKO_Project software, providing new ways to Visualize, Understand, and Report your GPR survey.
EKKO_Project software is now part of the Locate Performance Management suite from Radiodetection, a suite of solutions that help locate and protect underground assets. Using best in class Sensors & Software GPR hardware, backed by the robust EKKO_Project software, allows you to leverage a fully integrated end-to-end solution, and seamlessly move GPR data from field to final results.
For more information about EKKO_Project V6 R2 and to download an upgrade or a trial version, please visit our website (https://www.sensoft.ca/products/ekko-project/overview/). If you own an earlier version of EKKO_Project, upgrades are available; contact us for further details.
