BIM Interactive - About Combining BIM and Virtual Reality: A Bidirectional Interaction Method for BIM Models in Different Environments

Abstract

The basic concept of BIM is a consistent 3D model of buildings containing all main data as base for collaboration for all disciplines. Since BIM-software is normally run on single workstations, the potential for direct collaboration is somehow limited. The focus of our ongoing research is to overcome these restrictions and to provide a platform for development and optimization by combining BIM and Virtual Reality (VR), linking BIM (Revit) with VR (COVISE). Projects as well as data can be visualized in VR and reviewed 1:1 scale even in team meetings. Compared to various existing approaches, our new approach is to have bidirectional data exchange between the systems. Changes in Revit are directly reflected in VR and vice versa, continuously updating the model and its underlying database. We have been able to implement a range of interactions, however it's still a long way to identify further useful interactions and to implement them.