The Ar’n’BIM project
Artefacto (augmented reality), ECN (architecture), Egis (engineering) and Acsystème (algorithm) have pooled their skills to develop an efficient building site monitoring tool for construction companies. Based on Building Information Modelling (BIM), it makes it possible to overlay elements in augmented reality, to see behind walls, to annotate modifications, etc.
As a reminder, BIM is a computer technology grouping together all the construction information: geometry, cable runs, thermal insulation, etc. It provides a complete 3D representation of the structure. In recent years, BIM has heralded a revolution in building trades as a result of digital technologies, which are also widely used in other sectors such as the automobile or aeronautics sectors. The Ar’n’Bim project (Augmented reality and BIM) currently being developed with our 3 partners aims to provide construction players with a tool available on a tablet to monitor the progress of a construction site more precisely.
Usually, augmented reality relies on tags, QR codes or other information to locate the user and give an illusion of superimposition. On a construction site, such solutions are not possible to envisage. Within the context of this project, Acsystème contributes its skills in algorithms and image processing to superimpose the augmented reality elements with the real building. From the information contained in the BIM model, the GPS, the accelerometer of the tablet and image processing through the camera, we locate the user on the site and superimpose the information on the screen.
Stéphanie Lescarret, February 2017