Retraining Built Environment Retrofitting Problem Solving Skills with Augmented Reality

本提案的目的是研究如何将新兴的增强现实（AR）和建筑信息模型（BIM）技术集成在一起，通过改进对建筑工人的再培训来改造和改造建筑物，从而提高人类的绩效。由于自动化和人工智能，越来越多的建筑和维护工作被取代，这是一个公认的问题。此外，美国还拆除了10亿平方英尺的建筑，并用新建筑取代了原有建筑。拆除这些建筑物所产生的废物对环境的影响是巨大和昂贵的，因为这些材料往往不回收，而是填埋。改造建筑项目越来越受欢迎，因为它们延长了建筑的寿命，保留了历史元素，并最大限度地减少了浪费。该提案通过研究如何帮助工人更容易地转移贸易技能和有效地提高解决问题的能力来解决这些关键需求，以改造和重新利用建筑结构。调查人员将研究AR和BIM如何提高技能开发，生产力和效率，以帮助促进建筑，工程和建筑（AEC）人类技术前沿工作的未来。研究人员提出了一种新的跨学科方法来探索AR设备如何叠加BIM视觉信息，从而更好、更安全地理解改造和维护问题。这项拨款将通过解决以下研究问题作出重大的研究贡献：(1)AR技术对重新培训流离失所的工人在建筑建造和改造技能方面是否有用和有影响力？(2) AR显示中的建筑信息建模数据和用户界面的视觉呈现类型如何帮助和协助再培训技能和解决问题的改造？(3)与没有AR界面相比，AR界面是否能帮助工人更准确、更有效地解决改造任务（例如，在时间和材料浪费方面）？该研究将开发一个小型实验室的测试平台，通过现场培训创造更多的劳动力，提高再培训工人长期解决问题的能力。调查人员将向学术界和建筑行业的技术工人发展和传播他们的研究成果。这将为广泛使用和采用AR和BIM铺平道路，以解决建筑改造和维护挑战，并提高劳动力能力。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The objective of this proposal is to study how emerging Augmented Reality (AR) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) technologies can be integrated to increase human performance by improving the retraining of construction workers for retrofitting and repurposing buildings. A widely recognized problem is the growing population of displaced construction and maintenance works due to automation and artificial intelligence. Additionally, the U.S. demolishes and replaces one billion square feet of building stock with new structures. The impact of the waste produced by the demolition of these buildings on the environment is significant and costly as such materials are often not recycled and are landfilled. Retrofitting construction projects are gaining in popularity because they increase a structure's lifespan, preserve historic elements, and minimize waste. This proposal addresses these critical needs by studying how to help workers more easily transfer trade skills and effectively increase problem-solving skills for retrofitting and repurposing building structures. The investigators will study how AR and BIM increase skill development, productivity, and efficiency to help promote the future of work at the human technology frontier in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC). The researchers propose a novel interdisciplinary approach to explore how AR devices superimpose BIM visual information to gain a better and safer understanding of retrofitting and maintenance issues. This grant will make significant research contributions by addressing the following research questions: (1) Will AR technology be useful and impactful for retraining displaced workers in building construction and retrofitting skills? (2) How does the type of visual presentation of building information modeling data and user-interface in the AR display aid and assist retraining skills and problem-solving retrofitting? (3) Does an AR interface help workers problem solve retrofitting tasks more accurately and more efficiently (e.g., in time and waste of materials) than without an AR interface? The study will develop a testbed of mini-labs for improving long-term problem-solving abilities of retrained workers by creating an augmented workforce through in situ training. The investigators will develop and disseminate their research outcomes both to the academic community as well as skilled workers in the building trades. This will pave the way for broad use and adoption of AR and BIM to solve building retrofitting and maintenance challenges and improve workforce capabilities.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.