Virtual Reality in the Service of User Participation
The normal application of Virtual Reality is to the simulation of environments which are in some way special - remote, hazardous or purely imaginary. This paper describes research and development work which changes the paradigm by simulating perfectly ordinary buildings for special people. Some of the population have some form of physical impairment - a proportion which is likely to rise in line with an ageing population. New legislation, such as the UK Disability Discrimination Act places additional responsibility on building owners to ensure adequate access for people with an impairment and this in turn will place additional responsibility on the architect. Current methods of auditing access for new building are primitive and require the auditor to interpret plans/sections of the proposed building against a checklist of requirements specific to the special need. This paper reports on progress in the use of an immersive VR facility to simulate access to buildings for two broad classes of user:

i) those with a mobility impairment

ii) those with a visual impairment

In the former case, a wheelchair motion platform has been designed which allows the wheelchair user to navigate the virtual building; a brake and motor connected to the rollers on which the wheelchair sits facilitate the effects of slope and surface resistance.
Offsite construction: strategic priorities for shaping the future research agenda
Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), Offsite Manufacturing (OSM), and Offsite Production (OSP) are all umbrella terms cited as being possible panacea solutions for addressing time, quality and cost concerns often associated with ‘traditional’ construction. In this respect, these issues have been on the agenda for a while now, with no viable business process models or solutions [cf. traditional to manufacturing/installation] being proffered or promoted as a meaningful ways forward. In an attempt to address this, a focus group workshop was established with domain experts to explore industry uptake and multidisciplinary expectations and priorities within the AEC sector. This paper presents findings from this session, covering the relationships between people, process and technology - mapped against the three core silos of Design, Manufacturing and Construction. Research areas investigated embraced several integral issues, from information and process flows, through to production, risk, and market drivers and inhibitors. Research findings identified a high demand for technology adoption in the design and construction remits, and a need to change traditional thinking across the whole supply chain. Core findings and priorities are presented for industry reflection in order to shape the future research agenda in this area.
Appropriated Pasts: Indigenous Peoples and the Colonial Culture of Archaeology
Chapter 1 Colonial Culture of Archaeology Chapter 2 Progressivism: The Invention of Prehistory Chapter 3 Antiquation: Aboriginal Peoples as Living Fossils Chapter 4 Migrationism: The Archaeology of Dispossession Chapter 5 Diffusionism: The Archaeology of Alienation Chapter 6 Subjectation: Appropration Through Science Chapter 7 Shared Nations: The New Appropriation Chapter 8 Partnerships: Pathways to a Decolonised Practice Chapter 9 References Chapter 10 Index