Shih-Chung Kang

Use of Tangible and Augmented Reality Models in Engineering Graphics Courses

Engineering graphics courses are typically a requirement for engineering students around the world. Besides understanding and depicting graphic representation of engineering objects, the goal of these courses is to provide students with an understanding of the relationship between three-dimensional (3D) objects and their projections. However, in the classroom, where time is limited, it is very difficult to explain 3D geometry using only drawings on paper or at the blackboard. The research presented herein aims to develop two teaching aids; a tangible model and an augmented reality (AR) model, to help students better understand the relationship between 3D objects and their projections. Tangible models refer to the physical objects which are comprised of a set of differently shaped pieces. The tangible model we developed includes eight wooden blocks that include all the main geometrical features with respect to their 3D projections. The AR models are the virtual models which can superimpose 3D graphics of t...

On-Site Building Information Retrieval by Using Projection-Based Augmented Reality

AbstractThis research focuses on a long-standing problem at construction sites: on-site information retrieval. A wearable device, therefore, has been developed that can project the construction drawings and related information on the basis of the needs of the users. This device is envisaged to help engineers avoid carrying bulky construction drawings to the site, and to reduce the effort required in looking for the correct drawings to obtain the information they need. This device includes four modules: the information-integration module, the display module, the positioning module, and the manipulation module. The information-integration module is used to transfer information in the building information model (BIM) into images to enable the on-site retrieval from the device that was developed. The position module enables users to input their locations and automatically search for the images that the users might need. The manipulation module can analyze the gestures of the users from the touch screen and ac...

Systematic procedure of determining an ideal color scheme on 4D models

Four-dimensional models, which are 3D models with an added dimension to represent schedule information, have become an important tool in representing construction processes. These models usually rely on colors to represent the different construction states, such that when an ideal color scheme is used, engineers are able to understand the model and identify the potential problems more easily. However, up to this point, little research has been conducted in this area. This paper presents the selection, examination, and user test (SEUT) procedure, a systematic procedure to determine the ideal color scheme for a 4D model. This procedure can be performed iteratively to obtain the ideal color scheme, which would fit a 4D model according to its construction purposes. After conducting an example case following the proposed procedure, we determined an ideal color scheme for six construction states of a 4D model for plant construction. In total ten color schemes were examined and testing was conducted by 58 users over two iterations. The results show that the SEUT procedure is an effective method for determining color schemes to present 4D models and an ideal color scheme was validated and recommended in this research.

Development of user interface for tele-operated cranes

This research focuses on one of the major challenges in a tele-operated crane system, namely the user interface (UI). This UI should provide rich information retrieved from the field and display it properly in order to enhance the operation and decision-making processes involved in crane activities. In this research, we have designed two UIs specifically for a tele-operated crane system. The first UI is a four view system (quad-view) with a top view, left-side view, right-side view, and global view. The second UI has four views but uses additional guidance from Augmented Reality (AR) technologies. To test the UIs, we used a robot arm (KUKA KR16) to simulate a tele-operated crane in a testing environment. We also compared the UIs we designed against a conventional operation interface (i.e. operators view with oral guidance from the ground). We conducted a user test with two groups of participants: 5 crane operators and 30 students. Students constitute a novice group, and their results are interpreted from a statistical perspective. Using the student group, the interfaces learning curve can be evaluated. Operators constitute an expert group, which provides evidences for evaluating if the developed UIs are realistic and fit the needs of the field. We found that use of the UIs we designed resulted in a shorter erection time (336 and 343s) than if the participants used the conventional operation interface (380s). A self-evaluated index showing the difficulty of the tasks, the NASA task loading index (TLX), was calculated for each of the UIs. The UIs resulted in a higher TLX (52.0 and 53.2) than the conventional operation interface (32.2). In summary, the two UIs developed in this research are able to assist operators in operating remote cranes more efficiently and with less mental load than by using the conventional operation interface.

Lessons learnt from customization of a BIM tool for a design-build company

This paper summarizes the five-year development project of Construction Director, a BIM (Building Information Modeling) tool. During the first year, the development team from National Taiwan University (NTU) completed the architectural design of the system after conducting intensive interviews and meetings with key CTCI Corporation (CTCI) stakeholders. The NTU team then implemented the BIM tool for 4D simulation in the second year. During the following year, the NTU team tested and modified the system to overcome any usability problems. In the fourth year, the NTU team worked closely with CTCI and created a process to integrate the BIM tool into the company workflow. The system was then officially deployed on a design-build project in the final year. This paper summarizes the Lessons Learnt during each year of the project, and concludes that a trusting environment was the key contributing factor to the success of the project. This paper is not expected to only be beneficial for large companies who are planning to develop their own customized solutions, but it is also meant to be useful for software developers who are involved in similar projects. The experiences may help reduce overall investment risks, simplify the development process and guarantee the eventual success of introducing a new solution to a company.

Improvement of a computer-based surveyor-training tool using a user-centered approach

This paper presents the experiences of improving an existing surveyor-training tool, called SimuSurvey, using a user-centered approach. As few users were involved during the initial development of SimuSurvey, many instructors and students were skeptical about the innovative application of SimuSurvey in actual surveying classes. To address this problem, we proposed and applied an iterative and incremental user-centered design method to redevelop the tool. Three hundred and forty-six users including 5 instructors, 4 surveying experts, and 337 students, with different backgrounds were introduced at different stages of the redevelopment process. After two iterations of complete redevelopment cycles with five intermediate prototype systems generated, a much improved version of the tool, namely SimuSurvey R2, was developed. From the final interviews with students and the field observation on user groups, SimuSurvey R2 has been shown to be more practical for use in actual surveying classes. In addition, the proposed user-centered approach and several techniques it employs, such as storyboards and content diagrams, paper-based prototyping, high-fidelity prototyping, and usability tests, have been found to be effective for improvement (or redevelopment) of software systems.

Workflow re-engineering of design-build projects using a BIM tool

The use of design-build delivery methods and building information modeling (BIM) tools in the construction industry has been growing rapidly in recent years due to the increasing demand for more efficient construction project management. The successful implementation of these tools by engineering firms on projects, however, is still not being achieved consistently. This paper shares the experiences of the implementation of an in-house BIM tool by a large engineering, procurement, and construction firm that has an extensive reputation for design-build projects. A new workflow was proposed that takes full advantage of the BIM tool to both enhance the construction management performance and to minimize the impact on the firm’s existing workflow. The development of a new workflow was conducted by interviewing key personnel in various departments of the firm and by carefully examining probable impacts of the BIM tool’s introduction into the firm’s business processes.

Measurement of the International Roughness Index (IRI) Using an Autonomous Robot (P3-AT)

In this paper, we test whether an autonomous robot can be used to measure the International Roughness Index (IRI), a description of pavement ride quality in terms of its longitudinal profile. A ready-made robot, the Pioneer P3-AT, was equipped with odometers, a laptop computer, CCD laser, and a SICK laser ranger finder to autonomously perform the collection of longitudinal profiles. ProVAL (Profile Viewing and AnaLysis) software was used to compute the IRI. The preliminary test was conducted indoors on an extremely smooth and uniform 50 m length of pavement. The average IRI (1.09 m/km) found using the P3AT is robustly comparable to that of the commercial ARRB walking profilometer. This work is an initial step toward autonomous robotic pavement inspections. We also discuss the future integration of inertial navigation systems and global positioning systems (INS and GPS) in conjunction with the P3-AT for practical pavement inspections.

Attention-Based User Interface Design for a Tele-Operated Crane

AbstractDuring crane operation, the operator can be distracted by a multitude of factors, leading to hazardous operational environments which can result in accidents. Recent investigations into the potentials of tele-operation have revealed that risks to human safety at the jobsite can be reduced drastically with the removal of the need for many personnel to be physically onsite. This research focused on the interface design of a tele-operated crane considering human attention by using markerless augmented reality (AR) technologies. The attention-based interface has been designed with consideration of how the users’ attention is divided into three view types: focused views, ambient views, and alert views. To verify the usability of the interface, a user test is conducted in a simulated environment using a robot arm. The results indicate that the interface prevented 57% of collisions possibility. The authors also found that the interface resulted in high levels of user satisfaction. The utility rate of the...

Using Augmented Reality in a Multiscreen Environment for Construction Discussion

AbstractDiscussion is critical in identifying, predicting, and resolving potential problems in the field of construction. This process relies heavily on oral communication with the assistance of construction drawings, schedules, and other related documents. Because most construction projects include multiple working phases and involve multiple parties, it is difficult for participants to clearly grasp the whole picture of a construction site and to make accurate predictions about future activities. In this research, the authors proposed a visualized environment to facilitate the discussion process. It includes a stationary display called BIM Table for displaying public information and for collaboration among disciplines, and multiple mobile devices for showing private information. The authors employed augmented reality technologies to connect the BIM Table and the mobile devices as well as the public and private information. The authors named this discussion environment augmented reality and multiscreen (...