19. The BIMbot: A Cognitive Assistant in the BIM Room

Today, collaborative environment method is of with widespread use among project stakeholders. They benefit project planning in a variety of ways, including by enabling team members to build stronger relationships, enhance communication, and perform efficient planning, to name several. The collaboration occurs in sessions that immerse stakeholders in an environment commonly referred to as a BIM room—a shared space that enables project stakeholders, such as architects, general contractors, structural and MEP trades, and other specialized knowledge actors, to physically or virtually meet and to establish constant presence. The BIM room is a medium for stakeholders (BIM-room participants) to more accurately and efficiently make informed decisions on end to end construction problems. This project is aimed at investigating the use of information technology as a mediating mechanism to facilitate sharing meanings of expressions and to assist stakeholders in effectively finding relevant information that connects to their intent in the BIM-room. This research proposes the creation and implementation of a cognitive assistant to project stakeholders: BIMbot. The BIMbot is an agent that will have the ability to simulate a conversation or a messaging exchange with a present actor. From the actor-BIM-bot exchange and having an order, command, or request, BIMbot will carry common functions for the actors within the BIM room like retrieve the current version of family-objects of the BIM; load, filter, and view section(s) of interest; automate object placement; etc. BIMbot is designed to produce significantly more efficient interaction of collaborative meetings in the BIM room.