The following is the third in a series of posts providing insights into how trends on display at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will drive innovation in the built environment.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a buzzword that gets bandied about in all sorts of platforms these days. At its simplest, AI is a series of algorithms that allows a machine to mine incredibly large amounts of data, recognize patterns, assess and return relevant results—and in many cases, act on those results. Advances in quantum computing, deep learning, evolving human-to-machine interfaces, deep neural networks, cloud computing and many other technologies are making what was once a dream quickly turn into reality.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) featured thousands of variations on how companies are currently employing AI. Think about robots that fold laundry, drones controlled by hand gestures and assistants that respond to your voice and complete tasks—not to mention the cameras that detect people and record what each person looks at, how long they are present, who they are with and demographics.  The list of current technologies using some form of AI goes on and on.

It’s clear the ability to apply AI in the business world is real and becoming increasingly accessible. If you have data, then AI can help you slice and dice it to create more than you could ever dream of doing on your own. It’s taking extreme datasets and creating simple and useful outputs.

When we think about AI for McKinstry and the clients we serve, several application opportunities rise to the top.

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The following is the second in a series of posts providing insights into how trends on display at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will drive innovation in the built environment.

The next few years will be full of discussions about Smart Buildings, Smart Cities and how the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) will transform business and society in ways we haven’t yet realized. Sensors will be everywhere and in everything, gathering data to be analyzed and providing a deeper look into virtually everything. Most cars will have the ability to drive themselves. People will have six or more connected devices at any given time. And how we interact with the built environment will change.

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The following is the first in a series of posts providing insights into how trends on display at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) will drive innovation in the built environment.

The evolution of technology continues to accelerate, and with it the impact it has on how we design and construct the built environment. McKinstry is already using many newer technologies. We use building information modeling (BIM) for 3-D modelling and detailing, digitally enhanced pre-fabrication and kitting in our state-of-the-art shop. On the job site, our use of collaboration software and on-site data vaults—and even moving to handheld devices for reviewing specs, plans and creating as-builts—means we never need to go back to the job trailer. Technology has dramatically improved how we deliver work and there is no end in sight.

CES 2018 showcased several emerging technologies that portend the future of construction and will be implemented on the jobsite of tomorrow.

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