Ubiquitous Communication to Link Islands of Information in Construction

Abstract

Wireless local area networks offer new opportunities to establish effective communication channels between the many production units on a construction site. Having managers, workers, operators, mobile construction equipment and even tools communicate with each other as well as with off-site resources would open new information arteries critical to advancing the lagging productivity in terrestrial construction. For the exploration, mining and construction on Moon and Mars, however, such communication networks will be imperative. In order to test the viability of wireless construction, researchers at the Construction Automation & Robotics Lab at NCSU outfitted a construction site with a wireless backbone network and installed several test applications. The main focus of this effort was to experiment with a Wi-Fi agent mediated information system able to protect a mobile crane from accidents. The paper presents key components of the experimental implementation before arguing the need for applying the tested concept to the operation of equipment fleets on the lunar or martian surface charged with exploring and constructing inhabitable colonies.