Innovate UK is pumping £1m of funding into a programme to develop an Augmented Worker System (AWE) for the industry.

A consortium led by visualisation  specialist Soluis is developing the wearable virtual reality equipment which was first used on Crossrail by Laing O’Rourke.

Soluis is working alongside an industry steering group of AECOM, Doosan Babcock, Laing O’Rourke, Autodesk and Microsoft.

The firm said: “The Augmented Worker System will provide the construction industry with augmented and virtual reality to improve the construction process at every stage, meeting these standards.”

Martin McDonnell, Chairman of Soluis Group said: “The proof of concept project with Crossrail showed how this technology could be applied and add incredible value to the industry.

“Our vision was to develop this concept much further and create a set of tools that would form the augmented worker of the future.

“For a business like us, we could only drive this innovation a certain amount and working with the consortium and receiving funding from Innovate UK will help us achieve this much faster and more effectively.”

The AWE system will be designed to drive greater certainty, safety, efficiency and sustainability through five key areas – co-design, digital job guidance, progress monitoring, safety guidance and asset management.

David Philp, BIM Director at AECOM said “Construction technology is reshaping how we deliver and maintain our built assets, it is increasingly helping us place digital information into the real world in the right context supporting and augmenting the decision-making process.

“Real time access to individualised data, analytics and instructions during the construction and operational stages will greatly improve productivity, quality and also help worker well-being.

“Creating a framework and guidance around the augmented worker is critically important if we are to successfully unlock this value proposition.”