Abstract:

In the ESCUELA TÉCNICA SUPERIOR DE EDIFICACIÓN at the UNIVERSIDAD POLITÉCNICA DE MADRID, we teach different degrees such as the Degree in Building Engineering, Double Degree in Building, Business Management and Administration, and finally Administration and Professional Master’s Program: Technological Innovation in Building. We also offer a PhD course in Technological Innovation in Building.

One of our research lines is Virtual Reality and 3D printers in Edification & Engineering. In our studies, the model presented in Architecture and Engineering by a 3D printer and used in Virtual Reality is one of the research lines.
With the increasing use of 3D printing and its expansion in the World of Construction in building and engineering, more and more teams are gaining the skills to interact and experience the virtual visualization of the buildings. Virtual reality has different approaches. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are used by builders in order to make important advances. Milgram & Kishin (1994) defined reality-virtuality as a range that extends from the real environment. Augmented Reality (AR) and Augmented Virtuality (AV) are in the middle, where AR Augmented Reality is closer to reality and AV Augmented Virtuality is closer to virtuality.

The concepts will be defined here: firstly, we can define virtual reality ( VR ) as a simulated experience that can be similar or completely different from the real world. Virtual reality applications include entertainment (particularly video games), education (such as medical or military training), and business (such as virtual meetings). Other types of VR-style technology including augmented reality and mixed reality are sometimes referred to as Extended Reality or XR.

Mixed reality (MR), also sometimes called hybrid reality, is the combination of virtual reality and augmented reality. This combination allows the creation of new spaces in which people can interact with both real and virtual objects. That is, it can be considered as a mixture of reality, augmented reality, augmented virtuality, and virtual reality. In a more specific way, we would say that its aim is to transfer the real world to the virtual world, making a 3D model of reality and on this overlay virtual information, linking the two realities to be able to combine extra content of value for the mixed reality user.

The use of Virtual Reality technology in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry is growing rapidly. Tutorials of these models can be done in 2D quite easily using current technology. However, performing a virtual tour in an interactive 3D environment requires some additional expensive equipment. The ability to acquire technology quickly and economically would allow a use of collaborative virtual reality tools for design and construction.

The growth of low-cost 3D printing technology along with head-mounted displays (HDM) can be a way to extend the use of visualization in field applications. This study highlights the growth of Virtual Reality in the Construction environment and explores a way to develop economic tools to view construction models using HMD and 3D printing.

Keywords:

Virtual Reality, 3D printer in Edification & Engineering, Mixed reality (MR), Head Mounted Displays (HDM).