Construct.XR

Constructing Excellence

Our entry stands out in this competition as it is completely unique in the construction landscape. It is a truly innovative collaborative project that engages constructors, consultants and students in the future of the industry; and how technology and mixed reality will change the way buildings are designed, enhanced and delivered.

Not only is there no other project like this in the UK, there is no other in the world like it. How do we know this? Trimble, the international construction hardware and software company that manufacture the headsets we have invested in, have confirmed this to us!

We are rebelling against the long-held belief that the construction industry is widely regarded as slow to innovate and adopt new technology! With the speed of development in Artificial Intelligence, robotics, mixed reality and cloud computing via 5G networks, there is fast appearing a looming risk that many companies may be made obsolete very quickly if they do not adapt to this new way of working. New ‘technology enabled’ constructors and designers from outside of the traditional industry envelope, who are tech savvy and comfortable with this landscape, are already appearing. Disruption is on the horizon and it is coming now, not in 5 to 10 years.

 

Constructing Excellence

 

The construct.XR project allows design teams to access and train on cutting edge Trimble XR10 Microsoft Hololens2 site ready headsets. These impressive headsets facilitate data sharing over most stages of project management. The Hololens2 allows users to overlay 3d BIM data on site at 1 to 1 scale, review 3d models collaboratively in a meeting, review remotely, and also real time video call snagging on site. Urban XR provides the hardware, software and support expertise to enable clients to benefit from the technology – a full support package.

The XR10 headsets were released to market in the summer 2020 and overlay 3d holographic data onto the field of view of the user. The models can be interacted with and viewed at different scales. This is not VR (closed) or AR (on a tablet or phone) this is cutting edge Mixed Reality technology. Head tracking and eye tracking make for high accuracy, a microphone and a Bluetooth headset complete with bone-conduction enables two-way communication with team members who are back at the office. Gesture control enables the user to truly interact with models stored in the cloud and accessed through Trimble Connect for HoloLens software. The headsets are not connected to any phones or pc’s, they are independent units which are untethered, and safety approved.

We believe that the construct.XR programme is already part of the vehicle for sharing this work with the industry by providing cost effective access to ground breaking technology for our clients. The programme also curates a video blog on Youtube, and shares content on Linkedin and Instagram, as well as hosting student outreach programmes. Education and knowledge sharing is key to the future and evolution of our industry, this programme is a catalyst to the future of construction and project management.

 

Constructing Excellence