Caterpillar has bought Underground Imaging Technologies, a geophysical services company and technology developer based in Latham, New York. The acquisition gives Cat the capability to provide three-dimensional representations of underground utilities and other targets. “This service provides detailed information that enables design engineers and contractors to proceed on underground projects with a clearer picture of the subsurface environment,” says Hans Haefeli, vice president, Caterpillar Advanced Systems Division.

All of UIT’s subsurface mapping activities are tied to GPS or a robotic total station that provides required spatial information and has the capability to provide the actual elevation — not just the depth of cover — of all targets, says Cat.  Current UTI products include the TerraVision II ground penetrating radar system and the MetaVision II time domain electromagnetic induction system.