Research

This study proposed a bidirectional communication protocol that integrates natural modalities (gesture, speech, light, sound, and flight paths) to facilitate safe interactions between general construction workers and drones. To evaluate the effectiveness of this communication protocol,  both virtual and real construction site scenarios were created for within-subject experiments comparing conditions with the proposed communication modalities against those without them. The study assessed the safety implications concerning physical risks, physiological impacts, cognitive load, and worker perceptions. 

This study assessed the physical risks of drones on construction sites using VR-based 4D simulations. A system-level virtual simulation environment was developed to run 2700 simulations per top-risky construction scenario with varying parameters, mimicking and visualizing potential interactions between workers, structures, equipment, and drones. The results suggest that the differential impact of flight parameters and interaction distance on drone collisions implied the need for targeted safety strategies for different working contexts.