NSS Webinar: Introduction to the Features of the Cavway X1 Paperless Cave Surveying Tool

Howdy Cavers!

Tune out of your everyday life and plug into the underground with the Webinar Committee for our next webinar in the 2025 NSS Webinar Series! Join us May 21, at 6pm ET / 7pm CT / 8pm MT / 9pm PT.

Register for the webinar here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/2O8NfGp0SwaquQWn4NEkjg

Please ensure that you fill out all registration fields with the proper information — those with missing information will not be admitted to the webinar series. This helps Jenna Crabtree in verifying your membership via the NSS directory.
Siwei Tian – Cave Survey Instrument Innovator

Siwei Tian is a prominent cave surveyor and engineer based in China, renowned for his contributions to advancing digital cave mapping technology. As the developer of the Cavway X1, a next-generation paperless cave survey tool, he has significantly improved upon previous devices like the DistoX2. The Cavway X1 boasts features such as high-precision sensors, waterproofing, and seamless integration with TopoDroid, making it a vital instrument for modern speleology. In June 2024, Tian presented the Cavway X1 at the Balkan Cavers’ Camp in Croatia, highlighting its capabilities to the international caving community. Through his work, Tian continues to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of cave surveying, contributing to a deeper understanding of subterranean environments.

Introduction to the Features of the Cavway X1 Paperless Cave Surveying Tool

Following the discontinuation of the Disto X instrument, we initiated a collaborative development effort with multiple manufacturers to design an improved device. The newly developed Cavway X1 represents significant technological improvement over its predecessor, featuring: (1) enhanced measurement accuracy, (2) magnetic interference detection and alert system, (3) waterproof housing, (4) optimized user interface, (5) integrated calibration assistance, and (6) dedicated Windows companion software. Rigorous testing has confirmed the Cavway X1’s superior measurement precision and notably improved resistance to field interference (demonstrating significantly reduced calibration drift). This paper presents the instrument’s novel functionalities and discusses their underlying technical principles.