Speaker
Description
Forest cable yarders are a highly effective timber extraction system, particularly in steep mountainous terrains. Operating these systems demands high expertise, as does the preliminary planning and ground layout of the lines. Accurate field tracing and post-installation verification are critical to ensure technical feasibility (e.g., maintaining ground clearance for suspended loads) and operational safety regarding tensions and payload capacities. Traditionally, in Italy these operations are carried out directly by forest operators, except in the most complex cases where surveying relies on professional technicians conducting field visits. However, involving external technicians incurs additional costs and logistical delays for forestry companies. Conversely, when operators conduct the surveys without specialized tools, formal safety and documentation requirements are often not fully met. Therefore, there is a clear need to simplify this phase, and digital instruments offer highly functional solutions. While the digitalization of the forestry sector has led to a rapid proliferation of mobile applications, there remains a distinct lack of tools specifically tailored for the fast, simple, and immediate surveying of cable yarder lines. This study presents the development of a novel application for smartphones and tablets—named "Teleferika"—distinguished by its innovative, iterative design approach driven directly by the practical needs of forest operators. The development process began with a targeted questionnaire administered to experienced operators and forestry instructors. This user-centered approach directly informed the developers about the core functionalities to be implemented in the app. Primarily, the app allows operators to easily record fundamental line characteristics (such as anchor points and intermediate supports) during the layout and installation phases. The app was equipped with an intuitive graphical interface featuring real-time cartography, effectively functioning as a navigation system along the theoretical line. The collected spatial data can be exported in standard formats (.shp, .kml, etc.) and transmitted via email or messaging platforms to off-site technicians. They can then generate formal site documentation and perform rigorous payload verifications using specialized software like Seilaplan. Moreover, the initial operator survey revealed a strong demand for a modern alternative to the traditional compass for field tracing, an operation the app was expected to perform effectively and improve. In this sense, initial field testing alongside operators highlighted the inadequate accuracy of standard smartphone GNSS receivers. To resolve this, the system was integrated with low-cost RTK-GPS antennas, successfully refining positioning accuracy to approximately 1 meter. Throughout the development process, the application underwent multiple iterations based on continuous operator feedback. Finally, to ensure true practical viability, comprehensive usability tests were conducted. These trials not only identified the system's strengths and limitations but also provided valuable insights into the operators' reception of new technologies and their overall readiness for the digitalization of the forestry sector. In this contribution the development process and the results of both the functional and usability tests will be shown in detail.
| Keywords | "Cable-yarder-layout; Digital-forestry; User-centered-design; Usability." |
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