Development and implementation of emergent digital technologies in the design of the built environment.

该项目将探索在建筑环境设计中使用快速新兴和融合的数字技术，如虚拟、增强和混合现实(VR、AR、MR)、结构光扫描和机载无人机。VR头盔的商业发布带来了这一技术的主流，但对设计师有用的应用尚未成熟。建筑信息模型(BIM)的实施通过严格管理设计、施工和全生命周期管理，促进了建筑业的发展。作为BIM的结果，大多数建设项目现在都有了准确的3D数字化设计和施工模型。这些将适合在数字环境中使用，并用作提高效率和终身资产管理的工具。政府对BIM的强制性要求使其成为该大学的核心学科。这些是迈向可持续未来城市的关键组成部分；是该大学应对全球挑战的优先领域。该项目将通过适当的软件开发人与模型的互动。该团队将开发交互方法，通过对手持控制器的功能编程，在VR环境中操纵模型。当用户在VR环境中时，结构模型的创建和修改将与传统的人类输入设备协作进行。在这种环境下，将对设计进行严格的评估，以收集有关设计过程的数据，以确定相对于传统设计过程节省的时间和成本。将研究远程协作，设计团队将能够在VR环境中召开会议；环境中的其他用户将看到设计师的头像。这将增强团队分布在不同地理位置的设计体验。另一个目标是根据扫描数据(激光雷达和结构光)自动创建3D环境。目前，将点云数据转换为3D模型以供设计人员使用是有限的；自动网格化点云会产生不准确的模型。许多工程对象是由简单的形状和表面组成的，这使得它们很容易被识别和建模。该项目将使边缘、表面和空洞能够被自动识别并转换为准确的几何模型。这对现有结构的改装和维护特别有用。轻量级扫描的优势为这些技术安装在无人机上提供了潜力。这将允许对建筑环境进行快速、廉价的扫描，特别是在难以进入的区域(高处、桥梁底部的结构)，然后将数据导入并转换为3D模型。然后，可以应用材料属性和边界条件来快速和准确地确定结构行为。

This project will explore the use of rapidly emerging and converging digital technologies, such as virtual, augmented and mixed reality (VR, AR, MR), structured light scanning and airborne drones, in the design of the built environment.The commercial release of VR headsets has brought this technology mainstream, however application in a useful manner to designers has not been matured. The implementation of Building Information Modelling (BIM) has enhanced the construction industry through tightly managed design, construction and whole life management. As a result of BIM most construction projects now have an accurate 3D digital design and construction model. These will be suitable for use within a digital environment, and used as a tool for improving efficiency and whole life asset management. The mandatory government requirement for BIM has resulted in it becoming a core discipline within the university. These are key components in progressing towards sustainable future cities; a priority area for the university in tackling global challenges. The project will develop human-model interaction through appropriate software. The team will develop interaction methods, enabling manipulation of the model within a VR environment, through programming of functions to handheld controllers. Creation and modification of structural models will be conducted collaboratively with traditional human input devices, whilst a user is present in the VR environment. Critical evaluation of design whilst in this environment will be conducted to gather data on the design process to identify time and cost savings relative to conventional design process. Distance collaboration will be investigated whereby the design team will be able to conduct meetings within a VR environment; the designers avatar will be visible to the other users within the environment. This would enhance the design experience where teams are spread across different geographical locations.A further objective is the automatic creation of 3D environments from scanned data (lidar and structured light). Conversion of point cloud data to a 3D model for use by designers is currently limited; automatic meshing of point clouds produces inaccurate models. Many engineering objects are composed of simplistic shapes and surfaces, which should result in them being easily identified and modelled. The project will enable edges, surfaces and voids to be automatically identified and converted into accurate geometric models. This would be particularly useful for adaption and maintenance of existing structures. Advantages in lightweight scanning offer the potential for these technologies to be mounted on aerial drones. This will allow rapid inexpensive scanning of the built environment, particularly in inaccessible areas (structures at heights, underside of bridges), and the data then imported and converted into a 3D model. Material properties and boundary conditions can then be applied to enable rapid and accurate structural behaviour to be determined.