The Digital World is Coming to Construction Business

Augmented Reality (AR) (see also our article on Caterpillar and Scope AR from November 24th 2016) and Virtual Reality (VR) are breaking ground in the construction world. For an industry whose practices have remained the same for decades, a legitimate question might be: What’s the difference between the AR and VR?

Virtual Reality (VR) is an artificial, computer-generated of an environment or situation. It makes the user feel the simulated reality by sight and sound through a special headset (ie. Oculus, Valve & HTC Vive, Sony PlayStation or OSVR). Augmented Reality (AR) is, on the other hand, a technology that creates computer-generated enhancements on top of an existing reality with the ability to interact with it. Though virtual and reality are blend together, they are for the most part easy to tell them apart.

With VR, builders can now use data-driven design, drone mapping , 3D printing and more for their modelings. According to experts, within ten years, full-scale digitalization would save construction companies as much as 20% in design cost, engineering and construction phases.

An example is the detailed virtual 3D model of the London’s Elizabeth train line developed by Crossrail Ltd (see image), a $ 19.8 billion project, the biggest engineering project in Europe. With the model, engineers can quickly make changes and see how the whole thing fit together while avoiding conflicts. It is a significant gain in time and budget.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are gradually developing into the tools of the future in the construction business and leaders in the industry are eagerly adopting them.