The scope of this paper is to present the first results of an ongoing research and application development project investigating the potential applications of Virtual Reality in the field of fall protection focusing on the AEC industry.
Nowadays, it is increasingly important to develop economical construction processes and determine predictable costs. The current level of technology offers countless, even undeveloped opportunities to support architectural, engineering, and construction processes. Building information models created as results of design processes and databases associated with them can provide an appropriate base to fulfill the requirements. However, this information is mainly available only for the largest projects; the possibilities offered by traditional editable vector files (e.g., *.DWG) should also be examined. This study analyzes the efficiency increasing possibilities that can be achieved using low-detail 3D models generated by algorithms and applying 2D-based digital quantity estimation workflows. Nowadays, it is increasingly important to develop economical construction processes and determine predictable costs. The current level of technology offers countless, even undeveloped opportunities to support architectural, engineering, and construction processes. Building information models created as results of design processes and databases associated with them can provide an appropriate base to fulfill the requirements. However, this information is mainly available only for the largest projects; the possibilities offered by traditional editable vector files (e.g., *.DWG) should also be examined. This study analyzes the efficiency increasing possibilities that can be achieved using low-detail 3D models generated by algorithms and applying 2D-based digital quantity estimation workflows.
Health and safety concerns at construction sites have become increasingly significant, especially with the rapid technological development and the opportunities it brings. Since fall-from-height incidents are the most frequent construction accidents in the field, this paper focuses on a fall risk prevention method for building construction sites by integrating algorithm-based techniques with BIM models and introducing a smart adaptive system that automatically detects danger zones and places requiring safety equipment regardless of the layout complexity and design modifications. Moreover, the work reveals the optimal quantities and material takeoffs for the suggested safety plan over time, based on the construction sequence. It provides a 4D BIM simulation of building projects, in which the appropriate configurations, quantities, lengths, and costs of the required safety equipment can be derived at any chosen time interval within the construction stage.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel require exceptional spatial awareness and rapid decision-making within the confined environment of an ambulance. While Virtual Reality (VR) offers a safe alternative to traditional training, the lack of high-fidelity, regionally accurate, and VR-optimized 3D ambulance models limits its application. This study presents a scenario-driven methodology for developing a VR-ready 3D ambulance environment prototype tailored for Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training. Utilizing reality-capture techniques, terrestrial laser scanning was performed to accurately document the interior of a standard Hungarian ambulance simulator. The resulting point cloud underwent systematic processing, manual retopology, PBR shading, and the implementation of a custom dual-rigging animation system to optimize complex mechanical movements—such as stretcher operations—for standalone VR platforms. The workflow successfully reduced the vertex count to 25,373 while maintaining millimeter-level spatial fidelity. Technical evaluation confirmed that geometrical, functional, and material objectives were fulfilled, whereas pedagogical implementation remains incomplete. Structural accuracy and animation readiness were verified through preliminary inspection within Blender’s VR viewport inspector. However, interactive game-engine integration remains future work, and educational effectiveness has not yet been tested with EMT learners. Overall, this workflow delivers a 3D asset foundation that establishes the necessary technical basis for subsequent software implementation and clinical evaluation.
Building information modeling is a complex and structure-based methodology. It applies predefined steps and frameworks; however, an audit procedure can be complicated and time-consuming. The steps of the evaluations are based on logical connections that also form algorithms in a manual workflow. Algorithms can be interpreted by computers with the help of software languages. A higher level of automation, more efficient workflows, and more economical and accurate results can be developed by using algorithms.