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Digital Twins (DT) implementation in the Built Environment (BE) industry is still in its early stages. Aiming to increase the knowledge about DT, this study analyzes how DT can be understood in the BE sector and investigates its different potential benefits and expected challenges. To do so, the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach was employed. Using 228 publications, the current study presents a proposed definition and structure for DT systems. The proposed structure is based on four main layers: physical, digital, application, and user layers. The study also classified the applications of DT into six groups: sustainability and environmental, facility management, safety, health, and risk management, structural performance, construction management, and architectural and urban-related applications. The challenges of DT implementation were also grouped based on industry-related, social and organizational, economic, technological, and political and legal challenges. Based on the results, future research directions and practical recommendations were presented to support the successful deployment of the technology.
In this deliverable, we present, structure and interpret the formalised results of all testing activities that have been carried out thus far in REACH. We first (Chapter 2) introduce the detailed testing strategy of REACH, which details and brings forward previously described conceptual provisions (see Deliverables D4, D9 and D29) and responds to previous reviewer comments (R5 and R6, second review, November 2017; aiming at the improved emphasis of geriatric and medical aspects and their normalisation across Touchpoints and project activities). In response to the reviewers’ comments, REACH re-aligned some of its resources and formed a medical/geriatric task force (SK, HUG, DTU, TUM), which analyses and streamlines testing activities across Touchpoints, clarifies the common goals and measures, and works towards a normalisation of study designs and tools used across the project. We outline in this context the overall hypothesis for the REACH system along with four well-defined sub-hypotheses for each Touchpoint. Based on this, in Chapter 3, we present our methodological approach with regard to testing in REACH and provide an overview and a classification system for all testing activities carried out. Accordingly, in Chapter 4, we present the results (documentation of the carried-out testing activities), and in Chapter 5, we interpret the testing results. Chapter 6 summarises the state of play regarding testing in REACH and outlines the next steps and upcoming activities. The Appendix contains the full trial reports sorted according to a variety of items. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 690425.
Deliverable D32: Detailed set of privacy guidelines and schemata Responsive Engagement of the Elderly promoting Activity and Customized Healthcare 2 Deliverable D32: Detailed set of privacy guidelines and schemata: Summarization of the outcome of the development of necessary data privacy and security schemata to (1) protect sensed data; (2) ascertain computational anonymity; (3) ensure privileged intervention access (associated with task T.7.5). Abstract: This deliverable report examines the outcomes of the REACH research project with regard to data privacy and data security, associated with Task T7.5. This document gives an overview of our analyses involving ethics and privacy concerns in terms of the individual touchpoints and shows how these findings guided the project towards the determination of the medical purpose and intended use-cornerstones to on the path to market entry. In addition, we provide a brief overview of how the guidelines regarding data protection and encryption influenced the technical design and implementation of project components. Furthermore, we provide an update on the management of legal implications (and the implications resulting from this for system requirements and business strategy) of the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence in the context of REACH solutions, incorporating an external expert opinion. Finally, this deliverable report contains a summary of our approach towards risk gov-ernance and standardization in this regard: our work in REACH on privacy and security schemata, culminated in a CEN Workshop Agreement (guideline) that generalizes REACH outcomes and makes them accessible and usable beyond the REACH consortium .
Construction robots are devices of increased danger and, under certain conditions, can become a source of injuries to maintenance personnel, as well as lead to the failure of technological equipment. Most of the accidents are associated with the presence of maintenance personnel in the working area during programming, configuration, training, repair and maintenance of robots. The article describes measures to ensure safety during the maintenance of robots and manipulators. The stages of preparing the construction industry for the use of manipulators, robots and robotic complexes are presented. A system of measures for preparing equipment for use and its maintenance during operation is proposed.
Guest Editorial Introduction to the Focused Section on Mechatronics and Automation for Constructions
(2021)
Rapid advances in modern technologies have completely revolutionized many industries in recent years. It is anticipated that mechatronic and automation technologies would play an important role in transforming the construction industry to embrace for the fourth industrial revolution. However, construction automation problems bring up new research challenges that diverge from traditional methods. Unlike the factory environment, which is typically structured and predictable, construction sites are dynamic places where the working environment is unstructured and always changing. Due to lack of skilled labor, time and cost overruns, quality deficiencies, and the recent pandemics, mechatronic and automation technologies offer solutions for future safe, rapid, performative, prize worthy, and digitally protocolled construction projects. The coexistence of human workers, heavy vehicles, varying environmental conditions, and automated mechatronic systems also make safe human–machine interaction an important issue. Beyond expertise in a specific discipline, construction automation also requires multidisciplinary expertise to integrate with various fields, such as Internet of Things (IOT), robotics and its construction oriented subsystems, adaptive/robust control, machine vision, sensing technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), and building/construction/process information modeling (BIM/CIM/PIM) for automated construction process management and design. The main aims of this focused section in the IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics (TMECH) are to document the current state of the art in mechatronics and automation for constructions, and to present new results in several emerging research areas.
Um den zunehmenden Anforderungen an die Beherrschung digitaler Techniken und an die Fähigkeit zur interdisziplinären Zusammenarbeit an Studierende aller Fachrichtungen zu begegnen wurde das interdisziplinäre Lehrformat Digitalisierungskollegs für Studierende entwickelt. Das in vielen Fachbereichen ausbaufähige Angebot von Digitalthemen in der Hoch- schullehre wird hiermit dauerhaft erweitert. Ein Digitalisierungskolleg besteht aus einer Vorlesungs- reihe mit angrenzendem Seminar, in denen Studierende interdisziplinäre Lösungen für Fragen der digitalen Transformation entwickeln. Geleitet werden sie von etablierten Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftlern, aktiv betreut und ausgestaltet von ein bis zwei Coaches. Kernelement sowohl des Kollegs als auch der einzelnen Projekte ist die Interdisziplinarität. Eine*r der beteiligten Projekt- leiter*innen hat einen direkten Bezug zur Technik und kommt aus der Informatik, der Wirtschafts- informatik, der Elektrotechnik oder vergleichbaren Disziplinen. Zielgruppe der Projekte sind Studierende verschiedener Disziplinen im Masterstudium oder in den letzten Semestern eines Bachelorstudiums. Durch die Teilnahme erwerben auch Studierende aus digitalisierungsfernen Fächern frühzeitig umfangreiche IT-Kenntnisse. Als Begleiteffekt der umfangreichen Vernetzung zwischen den Digitalisierungskollegs (Studierende, Coaches und Projektleitende) entsteht bereits zu Beginn einer wissenschaftlichen Karriere eine große digitale Community. Alle Teilnehmenden lernen frühzeitig die interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit und verbessern erheblich ihre Karriere- chancen innerhalb und außerhalb der Wissenschaft.
This deliverable describes the results and reflections by the partners’ efforts on user acceptance and motivation strategies. The report presents the outcome of an identification and detailing of user acceptance and motivation strategies for the overall system (REACH, Touchpoints & Engine concept) and subsystems (Touchpoints, REACH toolkit elements), providing full consideration and detailing of ethical, privacy, legal and usability/accessibility aspects. The REACH system incorporates two strands of technological elements; on the one hand, sensing and monitoring elements, and, on the other hand, motivational and physical engagement elements. For both types, user acceptance is critical allowing for a user experience that leads to (intrinsic, extrinsic, etc.) motivation to more physical activity. The remainder of this Deliverable is structured as follows. First, we introduce the REACH-specific interplay of the concept “user acceptance” with the linked concepts “behaviour change/motivation” and “personalization” in the context of (early) physical activation of elderly persons, and outline the related work and activities conducted in REACH (overall and per TP). Second, we present an analysis and structuring of acceptability drivers (ethical, privacy/security, legal, and accessibility considerations) per Touchpoint. From this we developed an integrated view that represents REACH specific know-how about how to use these acceptability drivers to integrate advanced ICT-driven technology for early detection and intervention use cases seamlessly into age inclusive communities. Third, we present our findings in the context of the development of acceptability drivers for the use of sensing and monitoring elements. We conclude the deliverable by outlining acceptability related evidence and examples from REACH trials (based on Deliverable D27 findings), and by summarizing the overall findings of this deliverable.
Single-task construction robots (STCRs) have become a popular research topic for decades. However, there is still a gap in the ubiquitous application of STCRs for onsite construction due to various reasons, such as cost concerns. Therefore, cost–benefit analysis (CBA) can be used to measure the net economic benefit of the STCRs, compared to traditional construction methods, in order to boost the implementation of STCRs. This paper presents a simple and practical framework for the economic evaluation of STCRs and conducts a case study of a cable-driven facade installation robot to verify the method. The results show that the cable-driven robot for facade installation is worth investing in in the UK, as well as in the majority of G20 countries. Furthermore, other socioenvironmental implications of STCRs and the limitations of the study are also discussed. In conclusion, the proposed method is highly adaptable and reproducible. Therefore, researchers, engineers, investors, and policy makers can easily follow and customize this method to assess the economic advantages of any STCR systems, compared to traditional construction technologies.
Bauautomatisierung und Robotik im Betonbau: Fallstudien zu Forschung, Entwicklung und Innovation
(2023)
The world’s population is aging at an unprecedented pace. Aging society is not only a severe crisis in the developed world such as Germany and Japan, but also a rigorous challenge in emerging economies such as China. Many age-related diseases are fostered by the lack of physical, cognitive, and social activities. Increasing the activity level has many benefits for the elderly and can improve their independence. The research project REACH (funded by European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program under grant agreement No. 690425) aims to develop a service system that will turn clinical and care environments into personalized modular sensing, prevention, and intervention systems that encourage the elderly to become healthy through activities (e.g., physical, cognitive, socializing, personalized food, etc.). As a core research partner, the Chair of Building Realization and Robotics at Technical University of Munich developed a series of Personalized Intelligent Interior Units (PI²Us), which are a special type of smart furniture, that materialize the REACH concepts and functionality seamlessly into the different REACH use case settings. Specifically, the design and functions of the PI²Us, which consist of the PI²U-SilverArc, PI²U-MiniArc, PI²U-Bed, and PI²U-iStander, will be described in detail. In addition, a modular apartment integrating all PI²Us and key technologies in REACH is designed and simulated to create a total interior living and care environment for elderly users. Due to its modularity, parts of the apartment can be easily adapted and rapidly deployed in different REACH use case settings in four European countries, which will then help the REACH consortium execute a series of testing activities. In conclusion, this research project provides a systematic and innovative example for the world to mitigate the impact of aging society.
This deliverable report examines the outcome of the construction of functional or partly functional prototypes or mock-ups of Personalized Interior Intelligent Environment Units (PI²Us) for demonstration and testing purposes, associated with Task T5.4. The first part of this document will give an overview of the relation of this task to other tasks of WP5, other work packages, and the larger framework of the REACH project. The second part sets out the details of the progressive development from early concepts to the current prototyping stage. Moreover, the subsequent lab-based testing is described in the third part of the report. This includes both already carried out and planned testing activities for either early stage validation or final demonstration in a naturalistic test environment. Finally, part four summarizes the results and puts the different prototypes in perspective to the respective touchpoints and the overall REACH engine functionality. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 690425.
Aging society is not only a crisis in the developed world but also a severe challenge in some emerging economies. However, the awareness of population aging and gerontechnology is far from sufficiently addressed in the architectural design education in universities. Therefore, an interdisciplinary approach in design education is urgently needed to raise the awareness of the aging crisis among the future architects, interior designers, and beyond. This article introduces a novel model of a design seminar offered by a German University, addressing population aging issues in the architecture department. The syllabus, formality, and the expected results of the seminar are revealed in detail. The participants are encouraged to apply interdisciplinary knowledge such as barrier-free architecture, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, robotics, medicine, psychology, and business to achieve the goals of the seminar. Based on the originality and degree of completion, several students' works are selected and reported, targeting a variety of diseases or syndromes related to aging, such as dementia, immobility, and tremors. Overall, participants of this seminar are motivated and have positive feedback on this seminar, oftentimes claiming that they have seldom studied similar topics in previous architecture education. This enables students from architecture as well as other fields to be better prepared to tackle the upcoming challenges such as labor shortages and infectious diseases in a rapidly aging world. Furthermore, the seminar creates novel concepts that serve as a win-win "honeypot" for both students and their instructors, potentially sparking research topics and start-ups with concepts fostered in this seminar.
The world’s population is aging at an unprecedented pace. Aging society is not only a severe crisis in the developed world, but also a rigorous challenge in emerging economies. Many age-related diseases are fostered by the lack of physical, cognitive, and social activities. Increasing the activity level has many benefits for the elderly and can improve their independence. Based on the analysis of the state-of-the-art and shortcomings of the current smart home solutions, the EU-funded research project REACH aims to develop a service system that will turn clinical and care environments into personalized modular sensing, prevention, and intervention systems that encourage the elderly to become healthy through various activities. To achieve that goal, the research team developed a series of smart furniture (PI2Us) that materialize the research concepts and functionality seamlessly into the various environments. Specifically, the development process and the functionality testing results of the PI2Us are reported in detail. In addition, a simulated smart home solution concept (TRACK) integrating key assistive technologies developed is proposed to create a comprehensive interior living and care environment for elderly users. Due to its modularity and flexibility, the partial or entire solution can be easily adapted and rapidly deployed in different use case settings in Europe, which allows the project consortium to execute different testing activities. In the next phase, the research team will focus on enhancing the usability and performance of the prototypes in order to eventually push them to the market. In conclusion, this research provides an innovative smart home solution for the industry to mitigate the impact of aging society.
Population aging is one of the major challenges facing the world. In particular, the advent of China's aging society caused by various factors will be a major threat to its future development. Therefore, serious measures need to be taken to achieve its demographic sustainability. Smart furniture can be considered as a novel subcategory of gerontechnology. One of the main outcomes of the EU-funded REACH project was a variety of smart furniture named Personalized Intelligent Interior Units (PI2Us) which served as the key component of a distributed intelligent home to promote the health and activity level of older adults. This outcome can potentially be a solution to mitigate the consequences caused by population aging. In order to understand the attitudes and opinions of Chinese older adults towards the relevant technologies, the authors conducted an opinion survey using the PI2Us as an example, which sampled more than 380 older adults in 26 out of 34 provincial-level administrative divisions of China. The survey showed that Chinese older adults in general have a highly positive attitude towards smart furniture and smart home technologies. Several other insights also can be revealed from the survey. Based on further analyses, the paper summarized why the elderly-oriented smart furniture and distributed intelligent home has the potential to thrive in China's market soon. Finally, a three-year project action plan for implementing localized solutions in cooperation with a large Chinese furniture manufacturer was presented.
The construction industry, supported by the materials industry, is a major user of natural resources. Automation and robotics have the potential to play a key role in the development of circular construction by increasing productivity, reducing waste, increasing safety, and mitigating labor shortages. Starting with a brief synopsis of the history of construction robotics and the concept of robot-oriented design, this article presents exemplary case studies of research projects and entrepreneurial activities in which the authors have participated that have contributed to the advancement of concrete construction. The activities of the authors have systematically led to spin-offs and start-ups, especially in recent years (e.g., CREDO Robotics GmbH, ARE23 GmbH, KEWAZO GmbH, ExlenTec Robotics GmbH, etc.), which shows that the use of construction robots is becoming an important part of the construction industry. With the use of automation and robotics in the built environment especially for concrete construction, current challenges such as the housing shortage can be addressed using the leading machinery and robot technology in Germany and other parts of the world. The knowledge and know-hows gained in these endeavors will lay the groundwork for the next frontier of construction robotics beyond the construction sites.
This chapter presents additional research and development on offsite modular manufacturing of interior subsystems – to transform real estate stock to future demands triggered by demographic challenges, thereby allowing instant deployment. It explores the use of innovative systems for prefabrication. Regarding offsite production and manufacturing, the transformation of parts and low-level components into higher-level components by highly mechanised, automated or robot-supported industrial settings therefore needs to take place. Construction automation for offsite manufacturing, requires the integration of products, organisation, informational aspects, and machine technology in order to maximise efficiency and deliver product quality. A construction-kit cell can confine the production-unit elements in a specific area of the building, yet contain a greater capacity than an upgraded existing environment. A fully robotic construction industry will require significant research and development – of each product, process, and participant of the building production process.
The installation of curtain wall modules (CWMs) is a risky activity carried out in the heights and often under unfavorable weather conditions. CWMs are heavy prefabricated walls that are lifted normally with bindings and cranes. High stability is needed while positioning in order not to damage the fragile CWMs. Moreover, this activity requires high precision while positioning brackets, the modules, and for that reason, intensive survey and marking are necessary. In order to avoid such inconveniences, there were experiences to install façade modules in automatic mode using robotic devices. In the research project HEPHAESTUS, a novel system has been developed in order to install CWMs automatically. The system consists of two subsystems: a cable driven parallel robot (CDPR) and a set of robotic tools named as Modular End Effector (MEE). The platform of the CDPR hosts the MEE. This MEE performs the necessary tasks of installing the curtain wall modules. There are two main tasks that the CDPR and MEE need to achieve: first is the fixation of the brackets onto the concrete slab, and second is the picking and placing of the CWMs onto the brackets. The first integration of the aforementioned system was carried out in a controlled environment that resembled a building structure. The results of this first test show that there are minor deviations when positioning the CDPR platform. In future steps, the deviations will be compensated by the tools of the MEE and the installation of the CWM will be carried out with the required accuracy automatically.
A cable-driven parallel robot (CDPR) was developed for the installation of curtain wall modules (CWM). The research addressed the question of whether the CDPR was capable installing CWMs with sufficient accuracy while being competitive compared to conventional manual methods. In order to develop and test such a system, a conceptual framework that consisted of three sub-systems was defined. The tests, carried out in two close-to-real demonstration buildings, revealed an absolute accuracy of the CWM installation of 4 to 23 mm. The working time for installing a CWM was reduced to 0.51 h. The results also show that the system is competitive for a workspace greater than 96 m2 compared to conventional manual methods. However, improvements such as reducing the hours for setting up the CDPR on the one hand and achieving a faster and more robust MEE on the other hand will be still necessary in the future.
A need exists for faster installation of prefabricated modules in the refurbishment market. Current solutions for installing and fitting prefabricated modules on existing buildings are time consuming. The objective of this research is to reduce the time currently required for the installation of timber-based 2D modules by using innovative technologies while improving placement accuracy. A novel installation concept was proposed based on a digitally produced matching kit interface that corrects existing building’s irregularities and connector placement deviations. This solution was tested, validated, and compared in several manufacturing contexts. The tests recorded measurable variables such as the manufacturing time and placement accuracy of the modules. The results demonstrate decreases up to 73% in installation time and placement deviations of less than 2 mm.