Using Game Engines to Develop Building Holograms

Educational games have been proven to increase the learners’ understanding of the subject matter. In some domains, educational games may be the only possible way to simulate a real-life problem; construction is one of those... [ view full abstract ]

Educational games have been proven to increase the learners’ understanding of the subject matter. In some domains, educational games may be the only possible way to simulate a real-life problem; construction is one of those domains. Games can have a positive effect on problem solving, intellectual interest, and achievement. They can also help construction students engage in task learning and help them learn more effectively through practical experience. The advancement of information technologies, has introduced new visualization techniques aimed at facilitating the understanding of construction processes. The purpose of this research is to introduce a new visualization technique developed using a game engine. To achieve this purpose, Autodesk Revit add-ins were developed to facilitate the use of information models in game engines. The developed visualization technology is a holographic representation of building information models where users can use hand gestures and voice commands to explore the building. This paper examines the barriers in introducing this new visualization technique to construction students and industry professionals. The benefits of using the developed add-ins to link information models into game engines are then summarized. Finally, the paper concludes by discussing the effectiveness of using the developed holographic experience in coordination meetings or as a learning tool. Current work focuses on enhancing the developed add-ins and on incorporating more functionalities, such as clash detection and real-time material properties changes, into the holographic experience.