DeWitt Latimer

Sensor space planning with applications to construction environments

Outlined is a new approach to sensor space planning and its application to the construction industry. The software planning tool described here generates sensor placements automatically for use in assessing deviations in construction environments. The first step is to separate construction information goals into clusters, simplifying the planning space in order to reduce computational complexity. For each cluster, the planner generates the space of potential sensor placements for a set of information goals and selects a minimal set of subspaces to take advantage of views that can achieve multiple goals simultaneously. Sensing locations are chosen that maximize the probability of achieving each goal and a path is generated to minimize the transit cost between the various sensing locations within each cluster. Finally, paths are generated that minimize the transit cost between clusters. This method is demonstrated on a desktop computer and shown to support LIDAR information goal sensor planning within a construction site.

Toward sensor-based coverage with robot teams

We introduce a new algorithm to cover an unknown space with a homogenous team of circular mobile robots. Our approach uses a previous single robot coverage algorithm that divides the target space into cells, each of which can be covered with simple back and forth motions. The advantage of our method is that we plan in a two dimensional configuration space for a team of n robots, bypassing the 2n dimensional configuration space. The approach used is semi-decentralized - robot teams cover the space independent of each other, but, robots within a team communicate state and share information. An implementation of the algorithm, in simulation, is also detailed.

Prototype Implementation of an Automated Structural Steel Tracking System

This paper discusses the prototype implementation of a system developed by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the transfer of real-time on-site metrology and metrology-based data for tracking steel frame construction. The purpose of the implementation is to demonstrate the feasibility of automatically transferring information from the construction site to project management databases and associated applications, specifically for the identification and tracking of structural steel subsystems. The successful integration and implementation of the on-site field data collection system with a project information management system enables a field worker to identify and track a steel member’s final position and orientation on the job site.

Digital Archival of Construction Project Information

The Digital Library Initiative (DLI) concerns itself with the automatic creation, organization, and indexing of complex collections of data. With its own wealth of data types, the construction industry pushes the boundaries of the current technologies, especially with regards to automatic archival of construction project information. Many issues unique to the construction projects, such as data provenance and multi-media searching, require the integration of many technologies being developed at the various DLI funded research universities. This paper seeks to define those issues, the research being done, and provide some direction for future work in this area.

Construction Metrology Standards in Orbiting Facility Construction, Maintenance, and Operation

Space based construction metrology has a great potential for monetary and effort savings through the creation and use of open industry standards to support construction automation in space. Current technology for construction automation in space requires either one vendor to provide an entire solution, or an organization, such as NASA, to coordinate the efforts of vendors in tightly integrated projects that lock vendors in for the life of a facility. Open space based construction metrology standards could provide a means to promote competition over the life of a facility by supporting interoperability. LiveView is being designed to meet the goal of construction metrology automation, and may be applicable to special issues arising in an orbital workplace.

Automatic Detection of Significant Variation From Designed Intent Utilizing Survey Data CIAMS: Construction Information and Management System.

Current practice of providing an “As-built” survey as the completion of work should not be the only mechanism for observation of problems in the construction process. In many cases, survey data is available early in a project, but may not yet have been reconciled against the engineering intent. CIAMS (Construction Information And Management System) is proposed to drive the rapid reconciliation of survey data against engineering design intents through information automation. We will also describe other applications that could benefit from such rapid automated metrology techniques.