B1: 3D Printing, Robotics, AI

In the construction industry, 2D technical modeling (elevations, floor plans, etc) is used to demonstrate the layout of real life structures. The transition from the use of 2D CAD to 3D CAD can be instrumental in multiple ways. In small scale, one can make 3D physical models layer by layer in order to give a client a visual representation. On a larger scale, there have been examples of 3D printed buildings made of layers of mortar and are designed through 3D CAD programming. The buildings are cheap, quickly made, and require less waste than a standard construction project. The downside to 3D printing is that there will be a huge cut in jobs for the construction material and labor industries since this will be the cheapest and fastest option for construction.

On a similar note, having robotics implemented into construction could make jobs less dangerous for humans by putting the risk on a robot, which can be repaired, rather than a person. This could mean anything from jobs at high heights to lifting heavy materials. The issue with robotics is that it will also take jobs from the industry, which is already struggling as shown by the amount of failing roads and bridges in the United States. Robotics could range from physical robots doing labor to sensors that help monitor the control systems of the building. By implementing computer based systems rather than human interaction, the amount of error could be reduced significantly since a program will consistently do the same thing. 

On another hand, if you implement an AI system then you are putting the computer in a position to develop and change with day to day results. There are many benefits, but also many down sides to AI systems and the direction the industry is headed. Work is faster, there are less errors, things are done more precisely, and AI has the ability to adapt based on the data presented to reduce errors. But AI is also dangerous because humanity will not be able to keep up with the advances of AI and we could end up in a situation where we rely on AI for everything. There is a difference between using AI to help us improve our own knowledge and techniques, and using it at a convenience because we're trying to find the easiest way out of doing it ourselves. The same applies for other AI operated technologies. The thing that is most concerning is how easy it is to feed wrong information to an AI system and create an unsafe situation. If someone were to hack your self-driving vehicle and take you somewhere or crash your car, there wouldn't be a way that the person in danger could stop that. In terms of construction I find that AI is extremely useful in digital building systems implemented into the building (heat control from a device, sensor triggered security systems, etc), but I do worry about the dependence of man on technology. 

Works Cited

[1] https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/3880/6/strathprints003880.pdf

[2] https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-43411581

[3] https://www-engineeringvillage-com.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/search/doc/abstract.url?&pageType=quickSearch&usageZone=resultslist&usageOrigin=searchresults&searchtype=Quick&SEARCHID=d309a5beM79dbM4505M9143Mce618b1ccea0&DOCINDEX=1&ignore_docid=inspec_M2999691651feb9f11M3dc51017816339&database=8388611&format=quickSearchAbstractFormat&tagscope=&displayPagination=yes

Comments

1. Kyle, I completely agree that people are trying to play God by creating artificial intelligence systems that are far above humanities ability to learn. It's playing with fire to create something that we don't have the ability to completely understand and what it's potential effects are, especially if we create something sentient.

2. Sean, I read a few similar articles to the ones that you wrote about for 3D printing and I find it so interesting how quickly these structures can be created when there are millions of people who don't have homes. At a cost of $30/month, thousands of people in El Salvador can have the opportunity to have a roof over their heads.