Bentley Systems has announced ‘SYNCHRO XR’, an app that enables users to ‘immersively visualise 4D construction digital twins with the new Microsoft HoloLens 2’. According to Bentley, the solution enables users to interact collaboratively with digital construction models using gestures to plan, visualise, and experience construction sequencing.
In its statement, the firm said that project digital twin data is visualised with HoloLens 2 via Bentley’s connected data environment, which is powered by Microsoft Azure. The mixed reality solution is said to enable construction managers, project schedulers, owner operators and other project stakeholders to gain insights through visualisation into planned work, construction progress, potential site risks and safety requirements.
“Our SYNCHRO XR app for HoloLens 2 provides a totally new way to interact with digital twins for infrastructure projects. Users benefit from a new perspective on the design and a deeper, more immediate understanding of the work and project schedule. Instead of using a 2D screen with a mouse and keyboard, the user can now walk around the model with their body and reach out and grab digital objects that appear to co-occupy physical reality. This is a powerful way to review work that is completed and to prepare for upcoming work at the jobsite,” said Noah Eckhouse, SVP, project delivery for Bentley Systems.
The solution also gives multiple users the ability to interact with the model simultaneously and collaboratively experience 4D objects in space and time, in contrast to traditional interaction with a 2D screen depicting 3D objects, the software solution provider said.
Menno de Jonge, director of digital construction for the Royal BAM Group added, “We’re currently using SYNCHRO and HoloLens 2 mixed reality solution for the construction site for a large museum project in the city of Rotterdam. The real need for a digital transformation in our industry is about avoiding rework at our construction site. Using this technology, we can easily visualise the construction schedule. Then, we can see if we are behind in schedule, we can flag any potential problems or issues, look into the problems and get back on track.”
“Microsoft HoloLens 2 is a self-contained holographic computer that enables hands-free, heads-up interaction with digital models. It builds on the breakthrough innovation of HoloLens and is even more immersive, more comfortable and delivers industry-leading value right out of the box with partners like Bentley. We’re excited to work with Bentley, a mixed reality partner, to provide the opportunity for customers to take advantage of the HoloLens 2 and SYNCHRO XR technology to experience a new dimension of creativity and teamwork for their AEC projects,” explained Alex Kipman, technical fellow, AI and mixed reality at Microsoft.
