On Robotics and Intelligent Buildings

Before I get into the additional readings that I did this week, I would like to comment on the use of robotics in the building/construction industry in general. Mainly this is a response to the video that we watched at the beginning of class last week. I certainly can respect the novelty and potential of the quadcopters we saw transporting and precisely laying those blocks - though for the record I was not entirely clear on whether or not they were autonomous or remotely controlled. Still, as it pertains to intelligent buildings, I think we are getting ahead of ourselves in these ways that we are aiming to apply robotics to building design and construction. The majority of the buildings we inhabit are outdated and inefficient, and even today LEED certification is a gold-star achievement, not an expectation. I think we need to focus our attention now on updating the industry. Using smarter design approaches to design smarter buildings which more effectively meet our needs and serve their purpose. We need to make this standard opertaing procedure. And we need to get there before we start experimenting with robotic workers. Baby steps.

This brings me to my second issue. I was somewhat disappointed with the definition of robotics that the Access Science article seems to imply. Some of the language was over my head, but overall it was a good introduction to the main concepts and components of engineering. Still, the big picture that I got from reading the article is that the field of robotics is exclusively limitted to autonomously controlled or otherwise programed tools/objects that in some way resemble humans or perform human tasks. Most of the definitions you can find online offer the same explanation, and as humanoid technology continuous to improve, that window seems likely to narrow even further. As a civil engineer, I feel slighted by this concept of robotics. To me, a fully autonomous HVAC system, which analyzes data from sensors throught the building, and works in tandem with other building components to make necessary changes is as much a robotic accomplishment as getting a bipedal robot to walk forwards and backwards, mimicking human mechanics. A visual sensor which recognizes patterns in human behaviour, and uses that data to make comfort and safety decisions in your office building or home, is as much a robot as any other programmed device.

The first two articles I read go hand-in-hand and fit this expanded view of robotics, as well my thoughts  on the need for smarter design and maintenance practices. Both articles are essentially transcripts from 2 of 3 summits which were held in Chicago, IL and Washington, DC, regarding the current state of smart, sustainable design in early 2011 (the 3rd was help in Los Angelos). The seminars brought together leading experts from IBM, Johnson Controls, Eaton and other major companies that have taken an interest in advancing green design. The first article provides quotes from these experts regarding current industry standards, classifications of a smart building, how these goals are being achieved now, and what future needs are. The second article discusses the same concepts, but focuses on how some LEED certified buildings are not performing adequately in their post-design life, by not living up to energy goals, or promoting as much employee productivity as owners were hoping for. The concerns raised here are that designing a building to meet LEED speficications is only the first achievement. After that, they must be managed by informed personel, who are able to make effective use of the available teechnologies and systems, in order to achieve efficiency goals. The two articles do not explicitly discuss any robotic applications or technologies, but they speak to the idea I brought up earlier, that this is the direction we need to go concerning the use of robots in the building industry. Also, looking ahead to the other discussion topics, I'm not sure if these articles would fit any better elsewhere.

Smarter Buildings: The Executive View, Part 1

Smarter Buildings, Part 2: How to Close Gaps Between Design and Performance


The third article gets much closer to the discussion topic, of robotic systems in building design, construction or usage. As the name suggests, the article discusses the potential usages of video cameras are building sensors. Currently, video cameras are used mostly to record footage of various locations in a building, which is monitor by security personel for safety purposes. For lack of a better term, I will call this a very passive application. The camera does nothing but record video; most of the decisions are still made based on human observation. The article brings up several analysis tools which can be coupled with typical video camera hardware to better integrate a buildings main systems. One of the coolest examples that is discussed is the use of person recognition technology, which can be used to count the number of people that enter and exit a building. If positioned at every entrance, this can provide an amazingly accurate occupancy reading, data which is otherwise difficult to monitor, yet is incredibly useful. Having those numbers, not to mention the ability to monitor it instantaneously could be integrated with HVAC systems to control the temperature settings in a room, operate lights, or make other decisions based on occupancy. Furthermore, pixel recognition can be used to spot fires or other safety and security issues much quicker than currently used sensors. Again, this article represents a unique technology that I feel is a better application of robotics to the building industry.

Why Video Cameras are the Swiss Army Knife of Building Sensors