AR + DESIGN: an experiment in remote teaching using Augmented Reality for customised brick-based structure design

After experiencing the Covid-19 pandemic, remote
communication became one of the key issues in almost every field and
discourse. Digital fabrication is no exception, and architects hope to
seek a user-friendly way for human-machine interactions. This paper
presents experimental research using Augmented Reality (AR) for
robotic remote programming. The research tries to develop a unique
pipeline and workflow which allows users from different locations to
program robots and communicate with machines through AR. A sample
workflow has been tested as a series of simple brick assemblies in an
online workshop with remote participants. The pipeline allows all users
to be able to remotely program and control a robot in AR. For this
workshop, we transform the robotic coding method from the traditional
computer science way to the plugin-oriented AR visual programming
way in Grasshopper. As for the physical outcomes, participants all
assembled brick-based structures successfully by programming and
operating the robotic arm in AR remotely at the end. Associating the
interaction in AR with the robotic arm and programming it with
interactive visual input methods will make it easier for architectural
practitioners to simulate and control industrial robots for complex
structure assembly.