Harness MUVR Innovation to Support Interdisciplinary BIM Collaboration

Abstract

As technology progresses at an unprecedented pace, the world will look unrecognisable in the near future. In order to prepare young generations for the future, existing learning models must be adapted to incorporate new technology into tertiary education. In recent years, Building Information Modeling (BIM) has made significant strides in its adoption in the construction industry. Through the use of BIM at every opportunity, students are encouraged to adopt technology in their learning. It not only inspires students to learn, but also teaches them how to apply cutting-edge technology to solve real-life problems. Using innovative technology creates many opportunities for self-directed learning, which helps students develop their approach to lifelong learning. A major paradigm shift in the construction industry has been triggered by the adoption of VR technology in BIM research. There have been many studies that show VR applications can be used in the learning environment to provide students with an enhanced learning experience. The consumer VR system, however, is typically designed for one person to manipulate the consoller alone without collaborating with others. This is largely due to the fact that multi-user systems involve sophisticated software and hardware development that would require considerable computer programming. To address today's complex engineering and construction challenges, it is essential to take an interdisciplinary approach. Consequently, the proposed multi-user VR (MUVR) system offers the possibility of enabling a shared learning experience among students. CityU BIM experts and programmers have teamed up to create the MUVR system, a complete VR-based BIM application supporting interdisciplinary collaboration in construction and engineering.