Augmented Reality in the Engineering and Construction Industry

Price: Starting at USD 3,000
Publish Date: 29 Jan 2019
Code: AN-2726
Research Type: Research Report
Pages: 20
Augmented Reality in the Engineering and Construction Industry
RELATED SERVICE: Augmented & Virtual Reality

This report examines the role of Augmented Reality (AR) in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC). Many businesses have already introduced AR solutions in different stages of the project life-cycle as a part of their digital and innovation strategy for optimizing processes, reducing costs, and enhancing employees’ daily tasks. AR can be a strong asset for ensuring the success rate of AEC projects, which are often characterized by complexity, time consuming processes, required collaboration between different parties, and significant financial investments.

This report presents a range of use cases where AR adds value in AEC. AR solutions can significantly enhance employee performance and task efficiency through things such as hands-free data access, real time collaboration, CAD and 3D model visualization, and employee training. Professionals can leverage their mobile devices or HMDs for AR applications, expanding the potential install base and allowing for a tailored customer and user experience. Head-worn devices allow for hands free data access, one of the most valuable solutions that AR can offer in a field where safety, flexibility, and ease of use are paramount. Integration with other forward-looking technologies such as IoT, AI and Big Data can accelerate maintenance processes and prevent unexpected downtime and inefficiencies. AR employee training and education can expedite knowledge share and transfer, while guaranteeing worker safety where appropriate. 5G is also part of these AEC conversations, and this report highlights the potential of 5G connectivity expanding the addressable market, presenting new use cases for AR, and ultimately leading to higher adoption rates.

Challenges to AR and AEC are also presented. Overall cost and proving ROI remains a challenge for most early adopters as metrics are still in progress through case studies and continuous implementations. Employee acceptance of new hardware and changes to their workflow also present potential barriers to realizing maximum ROI. Required improvements in head-mounted hardware are discussed, including better display resolution and brightness, more seamless input methods, and generally more comfortable form factor. The balance between form factor capabilities and desired use case efficacy, as well as how cost factors in to this, is a key discussion point for AR and is covered here.

The report analyzes the upcoming trends regarding hardware devices, the suitability of hardware types for different use cases, connectivity and more, while also including forecasts for the total AR market and AEC specifically. This includes smart glass shipments and value chain revenues per region, as well as smart glass ASP data for AEC. Company profiles are also included, with hardware and software providers along with AEC companies that have already implemented AR solutions in their project life cycle.