ITcon Vol. 16, Special Issue Use of Gaming Technology in Architecture, Engineering and Construction , pg. 85-104, http://www.itcon.org/2011/6

Developing an experienced-based design review application for healthcare facilities using a 3d game engine

SUBMITTED: June 2010
REVISED: September 2010
PUBLISHED: January 2011
EDITOR: Turk Z

Sonali Kumar, Graduate Research Assistant,
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
sonali@psu.edu

Matthew Hedrick, Graduate Student
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
msh5020@psu.edu

Christopher Wiacek, Graduate Student
The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA cjw5027@psu.edu

John I. Messner, PhD The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
jmessner@engr.psu.edu

SUMMARY:Virtual Prototypes are increasingly being used during design reviews of specialized buildings such as healthcare facilities. However, most of these virtual prototyping approaches do not allow the reviewers and end users to interact directly, in real time with elements and objects within the virtual model. This paper focuses on a method to combine the use of 3D game engines with the emerging experience based design approach for healthcare facilities to develop a systematic approach to scenario-based design review of healthcare facilities in an interactive virtual environment. First, a virtual facility prototyping framework for rapid creation of a scenario based design review system is defined. Next, strategies to implement this framework to develop an Experience based Virtual Prototyping Simulator (EVPS) application are described. Design information workflows were developed and tested between various BIM authoring tools and the Unity game engine that is used for developing the interactive virtual prototype system. Finally, some lessons learned and issues are highlighted that help direct future research and implementation.

KEYWORDS: virtual prototypes, game engine, healthcare

FULL TEXT: file.pdf (3,355,000 bytes)

CITATION:

Sonali Kumar, Matthew Hedrick, Christopher Wiacek, John I. Messner (2011) Developing an experienced-based design review application for healthcare facilities using a 3d game engine, ITcon Vol. 16, Special Issue Use of Gaming Technology in Architecture, Engineering and Construction , pg. 85-104, http://www.itcon.org/2011/6