Voice-activated AI system could improve construction worker safety, productivity and efficiency
See all news
![A person wearing a suit standing near a construction site](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/news-construction-760x300.jpg?la=en&h=300&w=760&mw=847&hash=12A94FC7333F34A641DACD96E85121D3)
Construction workers could soon benefit from voice-activated technology that beams real-time audio instructions in their earpiece, and augmented reality (AR) graphics onto their helmet visor, thanks to technology being developed at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol). Using artificial intelligence (AI), the system will voice and display information, thereby removing the need for walkie-talkies or consulting hard copies of blueprints.
The conversational AI technology is being developed by UWE Bristol's Big Data Enterprise and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (Big-DEAL) alongside leading construction firms, which include Costain, Winvic Construction Ltd, TerOpta, Enable My Team, and Geo Green Power.
The total project cost is £1.86 million funded by UKRI and EPSRC under the ISCF programme. The project started in January 2019 and it will last for three years.
Conversational AI refers to a technology that allows the user to verbally ask for and receive information in real-time from a computer. Two examples of existing products that use this form of artificial intelligence in the home are Amazon Alexa and Google Home.
"Until now, conversational AI has mostly been used in labs and controlled settings," said Professor Lukumon Oyedele, who is Assistant Vice-Chancellor for Digital Innovation and Enterprise at UWE Bristol. "Here we are bringing it into a construction environment, where workers are using their hands and need a quick and effective way to gather information."
Typical commands could include 'Show me building plans' or 'show me construction sequence.' The system will then supply them with immediate on-screen information, or instructions such as where to insert a screw in a structure. A guiding system using arrows on the head-mounted display or an hand-held device, could also show them how to get to a specific area.
This data can also be provided as audio information in the worker's headphones. "One of the many challenges is to ensure that the instructions are audible and stand out, given that there is a lot of background noise on a busy construction site," said Professor Oyedele. "We are therefore looking at technologies including noise-cancellation to allow for this," he added.
As well as guiding the workers on the building site, the system is to provide information for project managers, who will be able to access co-workers' timesheets and know where they are located on site at any given time, as well as the status of various elements of the project.
"We hope that this technology will augment workers' capabilities, to make construction more efficient. It is about improving worker's productivity, ensuring a faster delivery process and getting it right the first time by avoiding defects," said Professor Oyedele.
Tim Reeve, Technical Director at Winvic Construction Ltd, said: "It's a real honour to be working with Professor Oyedele on his research project. AI can have relevant applications in unexpected places, and Winvic is eager to test the voice-activated headset that our data is helping to create.
"As our main focus is meeting clients' needs – from a practical delivery point of view and also commercially – it was a natural progression for Winvic to become an early adopter of state-of-the-art BIM (Building Information Modelling) technology and we remain committed to digitally transforming construction."
Related news
![A sign with branding of the Future Space lab at UWE's Frenchay campus](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/future-space-expansion-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=EA4ACD0587C4C09E99C8DB97E1D4F4F4)
21 May 2024
Growth for tech innovation in Bristol as Future Space expands
UWE Bristol’s award-winning innovation centre, Future Space, has opened its doors to 10,000 square feet of brand-new office and laboratory facilities.
![The River Severn wends its way through open countryside Adobe Stock image under licence](/-/media/uwe/images/news/river-severn-adobe-stock-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=C0F216FCB39E902E7A60126D3A0D45AF)
13 March 2024
Funding awarded to UWE Bristol to monitor the health of UK rivers
UWE Bristol is to receive a share of an initial £7 million investment to improve capability for monitoring the natural environment.
![Shaila Afroj UWE Senior Research Fellow](/-/media/uwe/images/news/shaila-afroj-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=A0CF47D10F8EAA2FC54D8DD7E7845F03)
13 February 2024
Funding secured to develop sustainable health-monitoring e-textiles
A UWE Bristol academic has been given a New Investigator Award to further develop wearable sustainable e-textiles to monitor heart patients.
![Members of the judging panel for the UWE Bristol Entrepreneurial Futures Awards (from left to right, seated around a small table): Dr Paul Bennett, Peter Fane and Mark Mason.](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/peter-fane-entrepreneurs-donation-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=6C003659161233FA9BCF69C01D0D6E8B)
14 December 2023
'Wearable bodyguard' among ten new businesses by young entrepreneurs to receive funding boost
A business developing a ‘wearable bodyguard’ for safer solo journeys is among 10 growing businesses that have received a vital boost, thanks to funding donated by UWE Bristol alum Peter Fane.
![Professor Tom Mitchell](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/tom-mitchell-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=2CAF15A0FCE461801695DCECB402BC16)
04 December 2023
Prestigious fellowship awarded to UWE Bristol academic to fund development of music technology
A UWE Bristol professor has been awarded a fellowship which will fund the development of a radically new approach to digital musical instrument design.
![UWE Bristol becomes an Adobe Creative Campus](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/adobe-creative-campus-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=402B4C617D3176AF7ADB843F4732D890)
03 October 2023
UWE Bristol becomes an Adobe Creative Campus
The University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) is pleased to announce a new partnership with Adobe, becoming an Adobe Creative Campus.
![computer-generated image of cars on a motorway. each car is surrounded by a radius, meant to indicate sensors](/-/media/uwe/images/safer-auto-vehicles-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=1AB6F0E9E06C91DEDF2176611EB80A73)
01 October 2023
UWE Bristol wins funding to develop safer autonomous vehicles
UWE Bristol has secured government funding for research into autonomous vehicles.
![School of Engineering building at Frenchay campus](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/tef-results-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=0D500090FD93374139975E182E0863E1)
28 September 2023
Teaching Excellence Framework: UWE Bristol provides an outstanding student experience
The student experience UWE Bristol provides has been judged to be outstanding in a new sector-wide assessment of teaching quality.
![UWE Bristol is partnering with Tendertec to encourage sustainable physical activity for under-represented groups currently not engaging with the digital fitness market.](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/fitbees-social-app-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=37ECDC6FA12E8AE068044DBFCFDFDC67)
15 August 2023
Innovative new social app to be created under £1.8m project to increase exercise among under-represented groups
A project to encourage people in under-represented groups to increase exercise will see the development of a new social app.
![Diabetes ROMI research](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/diabetes-romi-research-vs2-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=FADFB8E895CD1F0773268F423C74921F)
04 July 2023
AI to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their health
A Bristol-based team is developing a ground-breaking AI system to support people with type 2 diabetes in taking control of their health.
![Incubation space at UWE Bristol](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/incubator-enterprise-zone-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=CB83D5178CD72763DADFD106AA087600)
16 May 2023
UWE Bristol expands support for start-ups with new incubation facilities
UWE Bristol has transformed its incubation space on campus, bringing together two technology incubators into one area.
![Glow in the dark gemstone](/-/media/uwe/images/news/news-items/glow-in-the-dark-gemstone-410x230.jpg?h=230&w=410&la=en&hash=A202AD90B366F584556F5FA888698565)
15 May 2023
Glow in the dark gemstones show the jewellery industry that laboratory-grown crystals can shine bright
A UWE Bristol researcher hopes to revolutionise the jewellery industry and its supply chains with the creation of unique gemstone and jewellery designs with ground-breaking properties - including the world’s first single stone glow-in-the-dark manmade crystal.