Artificial intelligence doesn’t always get the best wrap. From fictional takes on the technology such as Skynet, from The Terminator series, destroying the world and Westworld’s new foreboding take on AI, to Stephen Hawking’s very real warning that artificial intelligence could end mankind, AI certainly doesn’t get as much love as other novel forms of technology like augmented reality or drones.
That doesn’t mean, however, AI isn’t currently being used for very useful applications. For example, a software firm based in Milan, Italy has been attempting to use machine learning algorithms to help buildings predict when their critical systems are about to fail.
According to newscientist.com, CGnal recently analyzed a year’s worth of data, such as temperature, humidity, and electrical use, from heating and ventilation units in an Italian hospital. The data related to appliances in operating theaters, first aid rooms, and corridors.
The firm then trained a machine learning algorithm on data from the first half of 2015 and looked for differences in the readings of similar appliances. When it was tested on data from the second half of the year, the system predicted 76 out of 124 real faults, including 41 out of 44 where an appliance’s temperature rose above tolerable levels, with a false positive rate of 5%, newscientist.com reports.
Augury, a start-up based in the United States, is also experimenting with machine learning. The company uses acoustic sensors that they install in machines to listen for audible changes in function in order to achieve the same result of predictive monitoring. So far, Augury has used the technology to diagnose machines in facilities such as hospitals, power plants, data centers, and a university campus.
By predicting these issues before they occur, facilities could be fixed before a crash ever occurs, saving time and money.
Related Stories
| Jan 3, 2012
BIM: not just for new buildings
Ohio State University Medical Center is converting 55 Medical Center buildings from AutoCAD to BIM to improve quality and speed of decision making related to facility use, renovations, maintenance, and more.
| Jan 3, 2012
New SJI Rule on Steel Joists
A new rule from the Steel Joist Institute clarifies when local reinforcement of joists is required for chord loads away from panel points. SJI members offer guidance about how and when to specify loads.
| Dec 29, 2011
Seismic safety in question at thousands of California public schools
California regulators responsible for enforcing earthquake safety laws have failed to certify more than 16,000 construction projects in California public schools, increasing the risk that some projects may be unsafe, according to a state audit report.
| Dec 27, 2011
State of the data center 2011
Advances in technology, an increased reliance on the Internet and social media as well as an increased focus on energy management initiatives have had a significant impact on the data center world.
| Dec 27, 2011
USGBC’s Center for Green Schools releases Best of Green Schools 2011
Recipient schools and regions from across the nation - from K-12 to higher education - were recognized for a variety of sustainable, cost-cutting measures, including energy conservation, record numbers of LEED certified buildings and collaborative platforms and policies to green U.S. school infrastructure.
| Dec 21, 2011
DOE report details finance options for PV systems in schools
The report examines the two primary types of ownership models used to obtain PV installations for school administrators to use in selecting the best option for deploying solar technologies in their districts.
| Dec 19, 2011
Chicago’s Aqua Tower wins international design award
Aqua was named both regional and international winner of the International Property Award as Best Residential High-Rise Development.
| Dec 16, 2011
Goody Clancy-designed Informatics Building dedicated at Northern Kentucky University
The sustainable building solution, built for approximately $255-sf, features innovative materials and intelligent building systems that align with the mission of integration and collaboration.
| Dec 12, 2011
AIA Chicago announces Skidmore, Owings & Merrill as 2011 Firm of the Year
SOM has been a leader in the research and development of specialized technologies, new processes and innovative ideas, many of which have had a palpable and lasting impact on the design profession and the physical environment.
| Dec 10, 2011
10 Great Solutions
The editors of Building Design+Construction present 10 “Great Solutions” that highlight innovative technology and products that can be used to address some of the many problems Building Teams face in their day-to-day work. Readers are encouraged to submit entries for Great Solutions; if we use yours, you’ll receive a $25 gift certificate. Look for more Great Solutions in 2012 at: www.bdcnetwork.com/greatsolutions/2012.
