Microsoft HoloLens on LHB Urban Street and Utilities Reconstruction Project

I wanted to share an example of how the Microsoft HoloLens can be used on Public Works projects. With the impending release of the next generation HoloLens 2, the use of holograms in design and constriction is only going to become more prevalent... so check out this post to get up to speed!

This post features an LHB urban street and utilities reconstruction project.

Keep reading to learn more...

In the field

Here is a video from a few months ago, before winter/snow, showing the model aligned with the current construction. I am standing in an enclosed pedestrian bridge, which you can see in the last image in this post (we can get to about 75% of the downtown in a short-sleeve shirt, even when it is -30 F outside!).

You cannot see it in the video, but I taped a QR code printout to the wall, which I had previously placed in the same location in Fuzor (our HoloLens software). This was used to quickly align the real-world scaled model with the physical surroundings. Fuzor uses the HoloLens camera to scan the QR code, so that part cannot be recorded.

Notice how the building images (building photos by Jeff Frey Photography) and canopies align closely with the real world... fyi, one side of the street had a problem with the vertical position of some of the building images (I never got around to correcting this in Fuzor). Also, if I had more time I would have removed all existing elements from the HoloLens model. Similar to what I did in this architectural project: Microsoft HoloLens in Architecture; Case Study with Vertical Endeavors Rock Climbing.

Notice how the installed pipe aligns closely with the hologram. ..

Note: using the HoloLens in an outdoor setting is usually not possible due to the low contrast between the hologram and sunlight. This is somewhat possible on overcast days, but even here the video turned out much better than the in-person experience, to be honest. But it still has some value in this context.

In the Office

Here is a video looking at the model scaled down, on a conference room table, in the office. The quality here is great as the window shades can be closed and lights turned down.

Be sure to listen for the voice commands! Fuzor allows you to set up something called "Layers" where the name of the layer becomes a voice command. Thus, you could put multiple design options on different layers and say "Hide Option 1" and then "Show Option 2". I even list distances in the video!

Here are a couple still images taken using built-in HoloLens functionality to capture what you are seeing in the device...

With this software we are able to "glue" multiple HoloLens devices together so everyone is looking at, and pointing at, the same thing! LHB currently has two devices, both with the Trimble hardhat so we can take them on to construction sites; I wrote about that here: First Look - Trimble Hard Hat for Microsoft HoloLens.

The Completed Project

This is a three-year project, with the first section now completed. Here is a comparison between that completed portion of the project and our Autodesk Revit model rendered in Enscape. Notice that even the shadows are pretty accurate:) Click to enlarge the image.

To learn more about the project, visit this LHB website: Superior Street Reconstruction

This project was also featured by NVIDIA: How VR Is Helping Revitalize Downtown Duluth

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I also write blog posts for Enscape - a new paradigm in rendering, animation and VR for AEC.