Within this paper we describe the background context and discussions that lead to the selection of the theme for the NI2006 Post Congress Conference. The rationale for the choice of the overall theme is introduced, together with the selection of the five main sub-themes, on which the group discussions were based, and that lead to the production of the group papers that form the core of these Proceedings.

Studies in Health Technology and Informatics

ABSTRACT The field of architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) is continually striving to use resources efficiently and manage complex processes. Now more than ever, there is a strong need for digital transformation in AEC. The improvement in the accessibility of consumer-based head-mounted displays (HMD) is attracting different entertainment and research fields to immersive virtual reality (VR) applications. Building Information Modeling (BIM) is known as a promising technology in AEC. The full potential of BIM is not yet employed to empower this field, however, and this could be a result of some barriers still to be surmounted by BIM in both technological and management perspectives. One of these barriers is the communication and collaboration between design, construction, operation, and maintenance phases. VR can fill this gap by providing additional capabilities for BIM which either were not available before or were not possible to employ in practical ways. In this paper, we systematically review recent research around the application of VR in BIM and discuss the results using the PRISMA flowchart. We discuss the most commonly used technologies, software, and evaluation methods and the various applications of VR in the reviewed papers. Finally, we extend the discussion by summarizing the potential future work in this area.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/17538947.2022.2038291?needAccess=true

Immersive virtual reality for extending the potential of building information modeling in architecture, engineering, and construction sector: systematic review

Mixed Reality in Architecture, Design, and Construction

Abstract This narrative review synthesizes and introduces 386 previous works about virtual reality-induced symptoms and effects by focusing on cybersickness, visual fatigue, muscle fatigue, acute stress, and mental overload. Usually, these VRISE are treated independently in the literature, although virtual reality is increasingly considered an option to replace PCs at the workplace, which encourages us to consider them all at once. We emphasize the context of office-like tasks in VR, gathering 57 articles meeting our inclusion/exclusion criteria. Cybersickness symptoms, influenced by fifty factors, could prevent workers from using VR. It is studied but requires more research to reach a theoretical consensus. VR can lead to more visual fatigue than other screen uses, influenced by fifteen factors, mainly due to vergence-accommodation conflicts. This side effect requires more testing and clarification on how it differs from cybersickness. VR can provoke muscle fatigue and musculoskeletal discomfort, influenced by fifteen factors, depending on tasks and interactions. VR could lead to acute stress due to technostress, task difficulty, time pressure, and public speaking. VR also potentially leads to mental overload, mainly due to task load, time pressure, and intrinsically due interaction and interface of the virtual environment. We propose a research agenda to tackle VR ergonomics and risks issues at the workplace. 

/pdf/a-narrative-review-of-immersive-virtual-realitys-ergonomics-1lhedn8f.pdf

A narrative review of immersive virtual reality’s ergonomics and risks at the workplace: cybersickness, visual fatigue, muscular fatigue, acute stress, and mental overload

Algorithmic design allows architects to design using a programming-based approach. Current algorithmic design environments are based on existing computer-aided design applications or building information modeling applications, such as AutoCAD, Rhinoceros 3D, or Revit, which, due to their complexity, fail to give architects the immediate feedback they need to explore algorithmic design. In addition, they do not address the current trend of moving applications to the cloud to improve their availability.
To address these problems, we propose a software architecture for an algorithmic design integrated development environment (IDE), based on web technologies, that is more interactive than
competing algorithmic design IDEs. Besides providing an intuitive editing interface which facilitates programming tasks for architects, its performance can be an order of magnitude faster than current algorithmic design IDEs, thus supporting real-time feedback with more complex algorithmic design programs. Moreover, our solution also allows architects to export the generated model to their preferred computer-aided design applications. This results in an algorithmic design environment that is accessible from any computer, while offering an interactive editing environment that integrates into the architect’s workflow.

Luna Moth: Supporting Creativity in the Cloud

As many other areas of human activity, the architectural design process has been recently shaken by Virtual Reality (VR), as it offers new ways to experience and communicate architectural space. In this paper we propose Live Coding in Virtual Reality (LCVR), a design approach that allows architects to benefit from the advantages of VR within an algorithmic design workflow. LCVR integrates a live coding solution, where the architect programs his design intent and immediately receives feedback on the changes applied to the program; and VR, which means this workflow takes place inside the virtual environment, where the architect is immersed in the model that results from the program he is concurrently updating from inside VR. In this paper we discuss the possible impacts of such an approach, as well as the most pressing implementation issues. We offer a critical analysis and comparison of the various solutions available in the context of two different programming paradigms: visual and textual.

/pdf/immersive-algorithmic-design-live-coding-in-virtual-reality-144ens5hhj.pdf

Immersive Algorithmic Design Live Coding in Virtual Reality

Algorithmic Design (AD) uses computer programs to describe architectural models. These models are visual by nature and, thus, greatly benefit from immersive visualization. To allow architects to be...

Inside the Matrix: Immersive Live Coding for Architectural Design:

Algorithmic Design (AD) is a design approach based on the development of computer programs to describe architectural models. The programs’ outputs are digital architectural 3D models, which are visual by nature and, therefore, benefit from immersive visualization. Live Coding in Virtual Reality (LCVR) is a methodology for the interactive development of AD programs while immersed in Virtual Reality (VR), favoring a more intuitive development process for architectural designs. However, complex buildings tend to require complex AD programs and, despite the added visual aid, as programs grow in complexity, it becomes harder to understand which parts of the program were responsible for which parts of the model. Moreover, LCVR introduces a new level of complexity: interaction with both model and program in VR. This research proposes to ease the programming task for architects who wish to code their models in VR, by supporting program comprehension in the LCVR workflow with traceability and refactoring mechanisms. These features will help users interact with their designs from within the virtual environment.

Program comprehension for live algorithmic design in virtual reality

Virtual reality has been shown to facilitate perception and navigation inside 3D models, while stimulating creativity and enhancing architect/client interaction. In this scenario, in order to better explore paths along the design space that are suggested from this interaction, it is important to support quick updates to the model while still immersed in it. Algorithmic design, an approach to architectural design that uses parametric algorithms to represent a design space, rather than a single design instance, provides such support. We present a novel architectural design process based on the integration of live coding with virtual reality, promoting an immersive approach to algorithmic design. The proposed workflow entails the use of an algorithmic design tool embedded in a virtual environment, where the architect not only creates the design but also interacts with said design, changing it by live coding its algorithmic representation from within virtual reality. In this paper, we explain the challenges faced and solutions devised for the implementation of the proposed workflow. Moreover, we discuss the applicability of algorithmic design in virtual reality to different stages of the architectural design process and the future developments that may arise from this proposal.

/pdf/algorithmic-design-in-virtual-reality-n0wffd58.pdf

Renata Castelo-Branco

Papers

Immersive Algorithmic Design Live Coding in Virtual Reality

Inside the Matrix: Immersive Live Coding for Architectural Design:

Program comprehension for live algorithmic design in virtual reality

Algorithmic Design in Virtual Reality

Digital representation methods: The case of algorithmic design