Exploring the effect of human-drone communication modality on safety and balance control in virtual construction environments

Abstract

This study examines the impact of Human-Drone Interaction (HDI) modalities on construction workers’ safety and balance control within virtual environments. Utilising virtual reality (VR) simulations, the study explored how gesture and speech-based communications influence workers’ physical postures and balance, contrasting these modalities with a non-interactive control group. One hundred participants were recruited, and their movements and balance control were tracked using motion sensors while they interacted with virtual drones through either gesture, speech, or without communication. Results showed that interactive modalities significantly improved balance control and reduced the risk of falls, suggesting that advanced HDI can enhance safety on construction sites. However, speech-based interaction increased cognitive workload, highlighting a trade-off between physical safety and mental strain. These findings underscore the potential of integrating intuitive communication methods into construction operations, although further research is needed to optimise these interactions for long-term use and in diverse noise environments.

Practitioner summary

This study examines the impact of Human-Drone Interaction (HDI) modalities on construction workers’ safety and balance control within virtual environments with a human subject experiment. Results showed that interactive modalities significantly improved balance control and reduced the risk of falls.

Keywords:

• Human-Drone Interaction (HDI)
• construction safety
• balance control
• cognitive workload

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This investigation was made possible by Award No. 2024656 from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NSF.