Introduction to Extended Reality (XR) for Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations

Abstract

The course introduces Extended Reality (XR) applied to Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO). It will explore the fundamentals of XR (Virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality) in a tight reference to three applications in AECO, namely design, construction, and operations.

Objective

By the end of the course, students will learn the fundamentals of XR, its applications in the AECO sector, and the skills to identify, develop, and deploy XR applications for the AECO problems. Specifically, they will: -Gain a fundamental understanding of XR, including virtual reality continuum, characteristics of XR systems, perceiving digital information, etc. -Be able to identify the opportunities for application of XR in different stages of a project such as conception, design, construction. -Critically think about existing solutions and identify limitations, pitfalls, and bottlenecks in existing solutions. -Acquire hands-on experience in creative thinking and designing an XR application. -Be able to communicate with technology developers and translate AECO end-user requirements into system requirements for application development.

Content

Over the past decade, the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) sector has undergone significant digital transformation. It has changed how AECO professionals have created, shared, and perceived information. The information has evolved from drawings to building information models and building information models to the digital twin. Since this information is in multiple dimensions, new methods are being developed to interact and visualize them in order to exploit it for better data-driven decisions. XR allows construction professionals to visualize, understand, and communicate such complex information easily. It helps AECO professionals “see” digital content in different ways and for different purposes. To utilize this to the full potential, AECO professionals should have the skills and be equipped with the rudimentary knowledge of how this technology works and vital points to consider when applying XR to this specific domain. The course will introduce students to: •Fundamental concepts of XR •Emerging practice and problems in AECO domains that could leverage XR •Developing XR systems to solve problems in the AECO domain The course will unfold as two parallel tracks with numerous overlaps: 1) The first track will introduce fundamentals of XR, including but not limited to the virtual reality continuum, XR devices, perception, development of the virtual world, the interaction between real and virtual world, and development of XR systems. 2) The second track consists of the applications of XR in the AECO sector. It will discuss the evolution of information in the AECO sector and introduce digital twin concepts and how XR helps to interact with digital twins during design, construction, and operations. Finally, it will present the state-of-the-art in the industry (through guest speakers) and the future of XR in AECO (through research paper discussions). The overlap will help the students understand the importance of considering the application requirements when designing an XR system and the opportunities and limitations of the technology when envisioning a new application.

Resources