Artificial intelligence doesn’t always get the best wrap. From fictional takes on the technology such as Skynet, from The Terminator series, destroying the world and Westworld’s new foreboding take on AI, to Stephen Hawking’s very real warning that artificial intelligence could end mankind, AI certainly doesn’t get as much love as other novel forms of technology like augmented reality or drones.
That doesn’t mean, however, AI isn’t currently being used for very useful applications. For example, a software firm based in Milan, Italy has been attempting to use machine learning algorithms to help buildings predict when their critical systems are about to fail.
According to newscientist.com, CGnal recently analyzed a year’s worth of data, such as temperature, humidity, and electrical use, from heating and ventilation units in an Italian hospital. The data related to appliances in operating theaters, first aid rooms, and corridors.
The firm then trained a machine learning algorithm on data from the first half of 2015 and looked for differences in the readings of similar appliances. When it was tested on data from the second half of the year, the system predicted 76 out of 124 real faults, including 41 out of 44 where an appliance’s temperature rose above tolerable levels, with a false positive rate of 5%, newscientist.com reports.
Augury, a start-up based in the United States, is also experimenting with machine learning. The company uses acoustic sensors that they install in machines to listen for audible changes in function in order to achieve the same result of predictive monitoring. So far, Augury has used the technology to diagnose machines in facilities such as hospitals, power plants, data centers, and a university campus.
By predicting these issues before they occur, facilities could be fixed before a crash ever occurs, saving time and money.
Related Stories
| Jul 15, 2014
A look into the history of modular construction
Modular construction is more than a century old, and throughout its lifespan, the methods have been readapted to meet specific needs of different eras.
| Jul 14, 2014
Meet the bamboo-tent hotel that can grow
Beijing-based design cooperative Penda designed a bamboo hotel that can easily expand vertically or horizontally.
| Jul 1, 2014
7 ways to cut waste in BIM implementation
Process mapping, split models, and streamlined coordination meetings are among the timesaving techniques AEC firms are employing to improve BIM/VDC workflows.
| Jun 25, 2014
AIA Foundation launches Regional Resilient Design Studio
The Studio is the first to be launched as part of the AIA Foundation’s National Resilience Program, which plans to open a total of five Regional Resilience Design Studios nationwide in collaboration with Architecture for Humanity, and Public Architecture.
| Jun 19, 2014
Singapore's 'Tree House' vertical gardens break Guinness World Record
The high-rise development will have a 24,638-sf vertical garden, breaking a Guinness World Record.
| Jun 18, 2014
Arup uses 3D printing to fabricate one-of-a-kind structural steel components
The firm's research shows that 3D printing has the potential to reduce costs, cut waste, and slash the carbon footprint of the construction sector.
| Jun 12, 2014
Austrian university develops 'inflatable' concrete dome method
Constructing a concrete dome is a costly process, but this may change soon. A team from the Vienna University of Technology has developed a method that allows concrete domes to form with the use of air and steel cables instead of expensive, timber supporting structures.
| May 29, 2014
Wood advocacy groups release 'lessons learned' report on tall wood buildings
The wood-industry advocacy group reThink Wood has released "Summary Report: Survey of International Tall Wood Buildings," with informatino from 10 mid-rise projects in Europe, Australia, and Canada.
| May 27, 2014
Contractors survey reveals improving construction market
The construction industry is on the road to recovery, according to a new survey by Metal Construction News. Most metrics improved from the previous year’s survey, including a 19.4% increase in the average annual gross contracting sales volume. SPONSORED CONTENT
| May 22, 2014
BIM-driven prototype turns data centers into a kit of parts
Data center design specialist SPARCH creates a modular scheme for solutions provider Digital Realty.
