Reflection on the course

When I signed up to take AE 410, I expected it to be more of a designing class that will teach more on how to work with SketchUp and AutoCAD. On the contrary, I learned very new concepts in this course which I think opened my eyes on very new topics for me in my major.

The course focused on Artificial Intelligence, BIM and Databases. Before taking this course, I had a very basic idea on how robots are constructing in big factories, but I did not realize how the robots are also being used in construction fields, and how intelligent they are programmed to overcome obstacles and receive commands for several tasks.

Another topic that I was expecting to learn about in this course and that we went through and understood very well was 3D printed buildings. Before taking this course, I really wanted to learn more about the 3D printed buildings advantages, how they are constructed and put together and whether they are used nowadays or are still being developed. We understood it very well from professor Mitchell’s explanation, and my peers’ blogs that introduced new information and have taught me a lot.

Reflection on my professional career and future:

I believe that AI plays a huge role in BIM, and have been and developing the industry in so many aspects. My plan now is to go back to Kuwait after I graduate and hopefully work in one of the Architectural firms. I am very sure that they use BIM and such developed technologies. I also know that in Dubai they are relying on 3D printed buildings, Kuwait work on many projects with Dubai as well as exchanging experiences, so hopefully after learning so much about the 3D printed buildings I can have a hand on one of the projects which I am very excited for.

Another useful tool we used was Microsoft Access creating Databases. Even though I faced few trouble and errors on the assignments, I have a clear idea on Queries and relationships which I really believe I would benefit from it in my professional career. I also learned very much about sensors which I didn’t have a clear background about before this class.

One of the most effective things in this course were the guest speakers that use what we are learning in their daily work. That showed me how important all the topics we learned are and gave me a push to read more about everything and, I was always interested in reading my classmate’s blogs to learn new aspects of the topic.

In conclusion, the class was much deeper in the topics than I anticipated it to be and very useful to me, my major and in my future career for sure. I believe that professor Mitchell’s useful presentation and videos were very helpful. The videos that were showed to us in class, especially the robots working on construction and overcoming obstacles to do specific tasks, in addition to the blogs and guest speakers were very helpful and taught us a lot. The course was very interesting, we had so much fun while learning the new topics, and hopefully we can use all that we learned in our future jobs.

Response to peers
Nick Pawlikowski : It is great that you knew about most of the topics in this course. To me even though I knew few topics, I was not familiar with the great deep information provided in the lectures and blogs by our colleagues. I as well had never worked on Databases and I enjoyed it and like working on it this course I really think it helped me a lot.

Joe Dressel : I agree with most of what you said about the course. I strongly agree that the guest speakers were very helpful, they brought us a lot of prospective as you said and shared their experience on the topics which helped us very much.

Ronald Herazo: I strongly agree that professor Mitchell did a great job teaching this course and really helped us a lot and made it so much fun for us. Most of the topics even though we had a basic idea about, deep information were shared, reading the blog posts helped introduce more information and finally the guest speakers also sharing their experience gave us the best idea possible. 

Abdullatif Alkandari - B4 - Week4

Project description

For my term project, I will be looking into the world of robotics in more detail. By knowing how far Artificial intelligence has come and given the many fields in which robotics managed to revolutionize the industry. I will try to find the underlying reasons causing this technology to be behind in some fields that we wish robotics were more involved with. Thus, identifying the factors that cause AI to be so far ahead of its time in some fields as opposed to others.

why it was chosen

The reason why I am intrigued in this topic is that I believe that once we have a better understanding of what is impeding the progress of A.I. and robotics; we can find the right approach to deal with the issue. I expect this research to improve my problem-solving skills which I believe to be a crucial skill for any engineer to have. This mentality will help me reverse engineer the problems associated with robotics involvement in the construction industry in an effort to arrive at the aspects that need to be considered before any breakthroughs can be achieved.

Relation to Intelligent Buildings

In writing this paper, I will be addressing how these breakthroughs in A.I. as well as robotics can aid in intelligent buildings. This is due to the fact that I expect for my research findings to pinpoint the areas where these technologies can make the most impact in adding to the current construction industry. Even after these areas are defined, I will research how they can be enhanced to further maximize the efficiency of A.I. and robotics in construction sites as well as their roles in manufacturing building materials. As I proceed with this paper, I will be more specific in which fields of the industry will be the focus of my research and that decision will be based on the aspect that will result in the most positive influence to the construction industry.

Challenges

I expect many challenges to arise in proceeding with this research, especially given how behind A.I. and robotics are in the construction industry relative to the car manufacture and nanotechnology industry for example. This is why I expect that in order for noticeable changes to occur in this field, serious time, effort and capital would need to be invested for this cause. And the investors interested in funding such research will only be onboard if they can guarantee their money back through this investment which is a major financial challenge.

Comments:

Ng Andrew: I expect incorporating Virtual reality to be a major breakthrough for AI in the construction industry. It will not only make inspecting buildings more convenient and enjoyable, but also reduce the chance of error in the construction progress as one can physically see where the parts need to go. I am truly excited for your team’s project and I expect it to be a fun and educational experience for everyone involved.

Mridul Pareek: I found your topic really interesting, and I do agree that Wireless sensor technology is under-utilized once we take in to account its true potential. I expect the implementation of this technology to be a huge leap forward in intelligent buildings as it will facilitate building monitoring and maintenance and save a lot of time and effort. I’m truly glad to know that a team is covering this topic.

Andy Dinh: I think that comparing the two leading programs in digital design (Revit vs Bentley Architecture) to be educational. In designing the same building in both programs it will became clearer to you which tasks are wiser to be attempted in one program instead of the other. I hope that towards the end of your project, you will have a clear understanding of (Revit and Bentley Architecture) and the advantages that each of them has over the other. Also, it is a big plus to have both of them on your resumes!

B4 - Brennan Connolly - Robotics in Building Operation

Robotics in Building Operation

              Advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence have led to a number of opportunities for buildings to operate without the need for human interaction. Currently, HVAC, lighting, and security systems all can be controlled through a central system by a human. With time, newer and more effective systems will allow building owners to control other aspects around their facility in order to increase daily efficiency. In this paper, I will discuss current and potential robotic systems, list the ways in which they could change how buildings operate, and lastly talk about the limitations of each robotic system.

               Some of the robotic systems I plan to discuss in my paper include kinetic façades, automated lighting/HVAC systems, and partner robots that help with simple tasks. Kinetic façades are being combined with photovoltaic panels on some buildings in order to maximize the amount of energy saved on the project. In the RMIT Design Hub, architects designed a façade that not only responds to the amount of natural light hitting it, but can also use that light to power some of its systems. (Sean Godsell Architects, n.d.) In terms of lighting, Philips’ Hue is a product line which allows you to customize you’re the look of your space and be in complete control of it from any device you want, including your smartphone. (Philips, n.d.) This allows the owner of the space to set the mood, and be more in control of how clients/customers/visitors/etc. react to the space. Smart HVAC systems work in similar ways in that they will allow the owner to define how they want the space to feel.

              What I am calling “interactive robots” are just robots that are physical, moving robots that utilize AI to interact with humans in some form. Today there are several various examples of them but none of them are  very common to see. One of the ones that is most frequently discussed is the hospital robot that is called, “Tug”. Tug helps nurses and doctors out by carrying things in a hospital from one place to another using a simple computer system. (AETHON, n.d.) A similar robotics company used that idea to create a robot that acts as room service in a hotel, delivering anything you order right to your room. “Botlr” can act both as a tourist attraction, and as an employee for hotels with its ability to efficiently travel from the front desk to any room while carrying anything a hotel guest could need. (TechCrunch, 2014) My last example of an interactive robot is made by the company, Vespa. It acts as your personal companion, carrying things like groceries or luggage. This robot is more personal to one person and not necessarily to a building but it’s easy to see how the technology could help in buildings like nursing homes, engineering offices, and medical facilities. (McFarland, 2017)

References

AETHON. (n.d.). Tug Healthcare. Retrieved from AETHON: http://www.aethon.com/tug/tughealthcare/

McFarland, M. (2017, January 31). Vespa's new robot will carry your groceries. Retrieved from CNN: http://money.cnn.com/2017/01/31/technology/vespa-robot-gita/

Philips. (n.d.). Meet Hue. Retrieved from Philips: http://www2.meethue.com/en-us/

Sean Godsell Architects. (n.d.). RMIT Design Hub. Retrieved from Sean Godsell Architects: http://www.seangodsell.com/rmit-design-hub

TechCrunch. (2014, August 22). Botlr The First Hotel Robot. Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIK-_VDPbps

Responses 

Prahlad - I find your project to be interesting since you seem to be focusing on how drones can be used during construction. In my opinion, the use of drones in the near future will be for surveying and capturing what sites look like from any angle. Although I do see other potential benefits when drones are able to lift smaller objects, maybe they can deliver tools/materials to workers on high levels. 

Andrew - This project is one that I would be the most excited to read and learn about. VR is really starting to take off right now and it seems once it can be fully integrated into the construction industry that it can provide the user with an incredible experience. You mention that finding enough research may become an issue. One tip I have is to be also look at Augmented Reality (AR), this may provide more results useful for your project.

Rachel -  I think our projects have similar challenges since there are so many different types of robotics being developed today. I think robotics, if used appropriately, will change the way buildings are designed. If we know that a building is going to be designed near perfectly, architects can show more "exciting" designs.

Group Project - Rachel Frank

Topic: Emerging Technologies in the Robotic Assembly and Construction of Buildings

I will be working with my partner, Maria Raggousis, to research the robotic technologies present and developing in the construction industry. We want to focus on three parts, the past, present, and future of the projects and technologies that are being or may be used in the future. We will look at the variations in the purposes of these robots. We will also look at who, what, and how these technologies are being developed. 

Why we chose this topic:I originally was interested in this topic because of the video we watched, and it made me realize how useful artificial intelligence is in the construction industry. I would like to learn more about how it is used, and the potential it has in the immediate future. We wanted to see what kinds of things may be possible in the immediate future, over the next few years. If this is something that may be used consistently in this industry, I'd like to learn more about it to have some  kind of backround when I am exposed to it in the workplace. 

How Its Related to Intelligent Buildings:

Intelligent buildings incorporate artificial intelligence into their systems. If robots with artificial intelligence are building the buildings, then it's possible that they can be connected eventually, and eventually might even be self sustaining through robotics. Robotics, especially on the inside of buildings where it is noticeable, it makes construction easier and possibly more accurate. 

Challenges:

I think one of the biggest challenges of this will be finding a ton of information on one area of robotics. I believe there are so many different ways that robotics are being used in the construction industry that it will be hard to narrow it down. Also, we want to stay close to the word limit, which may be hard. It will be a paper that we will have to develop as we find information. 

 Commments:

Taryn Francischetti: I think that you and your group's topic is very interesting. I had no idea that virtual reality could even be used on the job site. I am really looking forward to your presentation. I think the combination of the new technologies, like virtual reality and artificial intelligence will create an amazing environment for the construction industry once we can develop it enough to mesh together. 

https://ae-410-510-ay16-17.blogspot.com/2017/02/taryn-francischetti-b4-project.html?showComment=1486446199355#c487212104620642636

David Sanchez: I believe your topic is very similar to ours, as we are doing robotics in the construction industry, which involves artificial intelligence. I agree that finding credible sources will be tough, but the fact that these are so recent is supportive of the quick development and relevance to the industry today. 

https://ae-410-510-ay16-17.blogspot.com/2017/02/b4-sanchez-group-e.html?showComment=1486446725254#c8706319711343220453

Andy Dinh: I think this is a good project to see the capabilities of each program. Being new to both softwares, I am looking forward to your presentation and seeing what you an do with them. As I'm sure you have some experience with one or the other, I believe this will be a good opportunity to learn furthur each program and gain more experience and master them. 

https://ae-410-510-ay16-17.blogspot.com/2017/02/b3-andy-dinh-term-project.html?showComment=1486446924080#c8395191475336242606

Chaudhari-B4-A Team-Project

Joseph Chaudhari

Dr. James Mitchell

AE-510

7 February 2017

B4: Why did I chose my project topic? How is it related to Intelligent Buildings? Challenges?

The topic my team and I agreed upon doing a research project/paper about was “Robotics Automating Construction Site Surveying”. We, myself, Ronald Herazo, and Zhijing Zheng, chose this topic because we felt this will/could speed up and better the entire process of site development and construction of proposed structure. Robotic surveying systems are in place in today’s surveying world; however, it is rare, as they are enormously expensive, to find a surveying system that can scan an entire area and create a three-dimensional, not two-dimensional (that already exists), product for surveyors, designers, and engineers to look at. This three-dimensional product that would be produced by the surveying system would be done so by means of infrared scanners, and if need be an ultrasonic-like means of detection, and would save crucial time in the design process of construction sites and buildings (both on the interior and exterior). Think about it, if you were able to look at a three-dimensional model of a room or construction site wouldn’t you have way less questions for the surveyors or folks who sent this model to you opposed to a two-dimensional model. Design errors and hick-ups would come down immensely. A mobile version of this three-dimensional surveying equipment could cut even more time out of the design process of a structure; although, this system would have to be extraordinarily dynamic and thus be extremely expensive (we talk about one of these mobile systems in our abstract).

How is our project topic, robotic surveying systems on construction sites, related to intelligent buildings? Two large links connect our project to IB. One of these links is the idea of big data. With three-dimensional scanning an entire desired area can be accounted for. Once a model of this area is created via infrared 3D surveying technology, it can be used in almost all phases of design. To go a step further, if/when the 3D model is uploaded to design software like Revit, it can be accessed by, hypothetically, all parties involved in the construction of the structure. Once each party involved in the construction process have access to the model, they can then update and easily ask questions about the model if they fail to understand or are unclear on something. Not only would the creation and uploading of a three-dimensional model (created by robotic surveying equipment most likely using infrared scanners and sensors) shorten meeting and project discussion time but its creation would also creative closer links between different parties in the construction process as they would, ideally, all be collaborating on the same model. The other link our project has to IB would be the push our project has towards incorporating artificial intelligence on the construction site via robotic survey systems (more advanced and independent than the ones we already see on sites). As AI keeps creeping into construction sites, well see faster projects and, if the AI is programmed well enough, more efficient/ safer projects. Will AI lead to job loss? Sure, change in industry always leaves some without jobs. However, robotic surveying systems could be advantageous to companies that can afford to buy them and still maintain their staff numbers as the new robotic (AI based) systems could lead to less folk needed per job, thus giving the company the opportunity to seek out more work and bring in more money.

Challenges with this project idea? Challenges are around every corner and range from human error and ignorance to malfunction of robotic systems to acts of nature where systems are destroyed by water (I’ve seen surveying systems disappear over a matter of hours in the North-west Indian monsoon season around July-August) or animals (in western Gujarat, where wild lions and jaguars roam, construction can stop entirely if the animals decide they want to “take over” the site; you can’t say no to a pack of 12 lions). Sensors will be an issue too as they are often small and easily broken. One of the largest issues will be costs. Some of these mobile robotic surveying systems which can be strapped to the top of a truck can cost upwards of 150K.

References:

1.       Almega Geosystems. Video Demo Leica Pegasus: Two. N.p.: YouTube, n.d. Web. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pBLRnseIuQ&t=256s>.

2.       Autodeskrecap. "3D Laser Scanning Made Easy with Autodesk ReCap 360 Ultimate." YouTube. YouTube, 28 Apr. 2014. Web. 03 Feb. 2017.

Comments:

Ksara/Hovey: I’m glad you confirmed that a green building is not the same thing as an intelligent building. I think an interesting side of green buildings vs. intelligent buildings that your project could shine some light on would be how these two different types of building design affect the ability of a building to become the other (go from green to IB or vice versa). I hope you include some ways of pacifying the dread some owners may have of owning/building green or intelligent buildings (does the government offer any tax breaks on buildings that are green or intelligent?)

URL: https://ae-410-510-ay16-17.blogspot.com/2017/02/blog-post-4-ksara-hovey.html

Selden: This project is going to be awesome. I would love to live/design entirely intelligent or “smart” homes. Sensors will definitely play an instrumental role in achieving this type of housing. I would love to see your project include a small blip about how these new smart design home could then have/generate a state/nation/world-wide structural health monitoring database for all house designs of the same scope. This could be huge in sharing deficiency related data and keeping a real-time eye on the health of all of these structures.

URL: https://ae-410-510-ay16-17.blogspot.com/2017/02/selden-b4-homes-and-artificial.html

Dannemann: I like the fact that you brought up source reliability. As I am not the best coder nor a robotics engineer, how do I know if my sources relating to AI are any good (obviously we can make a pretty good determination on most sources)? Assessing cost may of pieces of AI-run equipment may also prove to be difficult. I have not yet looked directly for the costs of say a 3D surveying system but I know the internet via is not pushing them at you trying to get you to buy them. Ease of use will be tough to assess because it may be impossible to actually test a system your project deals with out and every user will have a different learning curving when it comes to AI powered systems.

URL: https://ae-410-510-ay16-17.blogspot.com/2017/02/b4-group-c-peter-dannemann.html