A few weeks ago, I received a link to a Radware report warning about the “grave dangers” associated with robot networks that exploit Internet of Things devices as weapons of attack for launching ransomware and various other nasty disruptions against companies and individuals.
Around the same time, The Guardian posted on its website a 45-second video that shows SpotMini, a dog-like robot manufactured by Boston Dynamics, using a mechanical arm mounted on its back to open a door. That video went viral, with 8.3 million viewers in the first nine days who also saw the newspaper’s dire verdict that this machine advance is “terrifying.”
Technology has been and always will be perceived as a source for wonder and worry. As it becomes evermore essential to our daily functions, more than just the viewers of “Black Mirror” are concerned about tech’s encroachments.
This trepidation might explain why several of the technologists I’ve interviewed recently for stories about virtual reality and artificial intelligence in construction were at great pains to explain why technology can be disruptive in positive ways that shouldn’t threaten anyone’s psyche or livelihood.
“VR is neither good nor bad—it’s a tool,” states Jeremy Bailenson, a professor at Stanford University. In his new book, “Experience on Demand,” Bailenson acknowledges that there are “darker” sides to VR that can’t be ignored. But the best way to use it responsibly, he asserts, “is to be educated about what it is capable of.”
Alvise Simondetti, Arup’s Global Leader of Digital Environment, sees smart machines as “partners”—rather than adversaries—of humans. And he’s not buying into the fear that technology will inevitably dumb down creativity and render certain job titles obsolete.
Take last year’s launch of AutoDraw, the “doodle bot” developed by Google’s Creative Lab, which pairs machine learning with drawings from artists. AutoDraw gives a drawer the ability to replace a rough sketch with a more-refined drawing from that data library.
Some designers probably see AutoDraw as ominous. Simondetti views such “enhancements” as progress.
“Architects can only explore a narrow part of a design space solution. Machines can simply see a ton more,” says Simondetti. He adds that artificial intelligence will speed up the design process at a time when “the world can’t wait, not with the rate of urbanization.”
Such sanguinity might sound surprising coming from someone working in an industry usually characterized as tech phobic. But I get the sense that more AEC firms and their suppliers want to shake off that retrograde image and push their industry closer to the vanguard.
More AEC firms and their clients seem convinced that their readiness to at least coexist with—rather than quixotically resist—technology could decide who wins and who loses going forward.
Related Stories
| Apr 23, 2012
Construction underway on City Winery Chicago
The Building Team is maintaining the old brick and timber construction, while adding 5,000-sf of new construction in the form of a two-story addition within the site’s existing courtyard.
| Apr 20, 2012
McCarthy completes Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Replacement Facility
The new hospital’s architectural design combines traditional Santa Barbara Spanish colonial architecture with 21st century medical conveniences highlighted by a therapeutic and sustainable atmosphere.
| Apr 20, 2012
Century-old courthouse renovated for Delaware law firm offices
To account for future expansion, Francis Cauffman developed a plan to accommodate the addition of an 8-story tower to the building.
| Apr 20, 2012
RCMA and Oak Ridge National Laboratory to host International Roof Coatings Conference
The International Roof Coatings Conference will feature keynote speakers Marc LaFrance of the U.S. Department of Energy, and Art Rosenfeld of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
| Apr 20, 2012
Shawmut completes Yard House Restaurant in Boston
12,000-sf restaurant marks new addition to Boston’s Fenway neighborhood.
| Apr 20, 2012
Registration open for Solar Power International 2012 in Orlando
President Bill Clinton to deliver keynote address at ?largest solar energy event in the Americas.
| Apr 19, 2012
The 10 mistakes most likely to get you sued
The California Chamber of Commerce has produced a white paper cataloging the top 10 mistakes most likely to get a company sued. While a few of the laws cited apply specifically to California, some of them are federal and may apply in your state.
| Apr 19, 2012
Holcim cement plants recognized at PCA Spring Meeting
The Holly Hill plant received the PCA’s Chairman’s Safety Performance Award in recognition of their exceptional health and safety programs. The Theodore plant received the Environmental Performance Award in recognition of the steps they take beyond those required by laws, regulations and permits to minimize their impact on the environment.
| Apr 19, 2012
KTGY Group’s Arista Uptown Apartments in Broomfield, Colo. completed
First of eight buildings highlights unique amenities.
| Apr 19, 2012
Nauset begins work on $20M Joint Forces HQ at Hanscom AFB
3D imaging key to project timetable and cost containment.
