A Brief History
Before talking about AI, AR, and VR, let’s go back in time. Productivity in retail, manufacturing, and agriculture has grown by 1500% since 1945.
In comparison, the global construction industry has grown by just 1% per annum in recent decades, with productivity per worker remaining the same. Meanwhile, 7% of the global workforce is in construction, yet it woefully trails behind other industries.
A major factor in this discrepancy is the tardiness in embracing new technologies and, therefore, one of the most under-digitalised in the world. (McKinsey, 2017)
Although construction-related enterprise accounts for the spending of $10 trillion (McKinsey, 2017), interest and/or investment in AI, AR and VR have moved at a snail’s pace.
With other industries taking advantage of these technologies, the construction industry needs a major shakeup to increase product performance.
The Difference Between AI, AR, and VR
We have concluded that the construction industry needs a rapid move into digitalisation from the studies above. But what exactly are AI, AR, and VR?
In brief, AR or Augmented Reality and VR, Virtual Reality are two different technologies used in what is frequently recognized as Extended Reality or XR. Both provide a digitalised visual reality but with a different experience.
On the other hand, AI or Artificial Intelligence is a term used to describe a machine capable of mimicking human cognitive behaviors in learning, problem-solving, and pattern recognition.
Take a look at their general difference below:
Virtual Reality
Most people’s first virtual reality experience is seeing gamers wearing strange goggles and prancing around!
They are actually isolating themselves from their surroundings and absorbing into the digital world created by the game’s technology.
Whilst sounding like great fun for games, the benefits of VR in the construction industry are huge. With VR, it is possible to do the following items:
- Create virtual sites, projects, or environments in 3D
- Create ‘before’ and ‘after’ environments to project the impact of projected work
- See the actuality of worksite conditions
- View the significance or repercussions of plan changes
- Stay alert for potential hazards and problems, allowing for speedier and efficient solutions.
With advancements in communication, such as digital conferencing technology, on-site and office teams can keep up-to-date no matter where they are.
Augmented Reality
AR differs from VR in that you turn your mobile device, either tablet or mobile phone, into a ‘digital window’.
By overlaying previously inputted digital content, the user can then view the overlaid information in the physical environment they are standing in.
AR combines both the physical and virtual worlds using a two-dimensional display. This helps project teams, designers, architects, and more to:
- View and understand the impacts of structures.
- Check the accuracies of installations on-site.
- Create remedies for problems that arise throughout the project.
- Be prepared whilst being expedited and cost-effective.
Artificial Intelligence
AI is a technique that gives a computer system the ‘learning’ ability without finite programming.
As the computer further exposes itself to data, it develops greater comprehension and judgment.
AI has shown to be very cost-effective. For example, using VR goggles and mini-robots during construction requires AI to monitor work as it progresses.
AI also has uses in designing the electrical and plumbing systems in new building works.
Learn More About AI, AR, and VR in the Construction Industry
digitus is a division of KVP-Solution and has responsibility for the technological aspects in client interaction and internal innovations.
Although customers of KVP-Solution are predominantly construction industry-based, digitus conducts studies into new technologies.
These findings give us scope to supplement and improve our client’s performances beyond Digital Marketing and CRM’s digitus core services.
Contact us to find out more.