November 14, 2018
Mixed reality headsets blend reality and digital worlds to produce interactive environments by placing holographic objects into our surroundings. Typically, a head mounted display is an untethered computer allowing freedom of movement for the user by eliminating the need for external wires, sensors or cameras. See-through holographic lenses use an advanced optical projection system to map holograms onto the world around you.
LF Driscoll, the Philadelphia region’s leading full-service construction provider, is currently testing uses, cases and workflows for incorporating Microsoft Hololens and various third-party software and applications into the company’s Virtual Construction. The testing takes place in virtual reality centers or in sitting environments (rather than on active job sites) in order to comply with OSHA safety guidelines.
The construction company has already successfully applied geo-located holograms, pulled directly from Autodesk Revit and Navisworks, to multiple floors at one of their projects in Philadelphia. These holograms incorporate design options used for client decision-making in a full-scale, in-situ, 3D format.
Other holograms have been tested by LF Driscoll’s Engineering Department to quickly verify that subcontractors’ MEP installations match the coordination models we built for each floor of the project. While the use of these technologies are still in the infancy stage, expectations are high for extending the use of 3D computer-generated geometry to further project delivery, ultimately increasing the value of the company’s Virtual Construction efforts.
To learn more about LF Driscoll, visit their website here.
