Laing O’Rourke has lifted the lid on how it is developing gaming technology to simplify and de-risk construction products.
Using programmers from outside the construction industry, the contractor has created a variety of apps such as a crane simulator and inspection modules for health and safety training applications.
Digital engineer Grant Stevenson-Wade explained: “It is to immerse people before they go there [to site]. Gaming has come a long way and it pushes AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) forward.”
The company is using VR headsets combined with a gaming engine called Unity to develop platforms to run its VR applications.
Stephenson-Wade said he would like to see the technology develop to a point where 100ft cranes on a construction site can be controlled remotely by operators sitting in a safe environment.
