Q1 - Technologies Bridging the Digital and the Physical

Our next Cincinnati BIM User Group meeting will be Thursday, April 18, at 5pm at UC's Digital Futures center for integrated research.

Join us for a tour of the XR Lab along with presentations that bridge the digital and physical worlds. Presentations will include a real world project utilizing augmented reality (AR) and 3D printed construction technologies as well as the innovative research at the XR Lab.

As always, we will have a 30 minute networking session with dinner and drinks courtesy of IMAGINiT prior to the presentations.

AUGMENTED REALITY AND 3D PRINTING FOR THE US SPACE AND ROCKET CENTER
Mixed reality AR technology and Branch matrix 3D printed panels are being used to restore the Pathfinder shuttle for the US Space and Rocket Center. Andrew Soper, Structural Engineer and Project Manager for KPFF Cincinnati, will discuss the challenges encountered, identify optimal applications, and highlight the benefits of real-time synchronization between the digital model and the physical structure. As a member of the KPFF innovation team, Andrew is dedicated to leveraging artificial intelligence, generative design, and VR for BIM and construction applications.

XR-LAB TOUR AND RESEARCH PROJECTS OVERVIEW
As the Director of the Extended Reality Lab (XR-Lab) at UC Digital Futures, an architect, and a Professor at UC DAAP, Ming Tang will offer an overview of projects in Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Mixed Reality. Tang will highlight XR-lab's contributions across diverse sectors, including architecture, education, healthcare, safety, and professional training, linking academic inquiry with practical industry applications. In addition to insights into digital twin models, Tang will also examine the critical analysis of human behavior in wayfinding and crisis decision-making contexts. Through XR-Lab's application of XR technologies, this talk aims to showcase the potential of simulated immersive environments in enhancing communication and fostering collaboration.