2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Construction engineering and management (CEM) learning often requires students to interpret complex spatial-temporal information from two-dimensional drawings — meaning, spatial (how design components or resources relate to one another in 3D space) and temporal (the logic in a process, such as the order, sequences, and hierarchies of the resources within a construction task). This process imposes a high cognitive load as learners must mentally transform static representations into dynamic construction sequences.

The DigiTouch project introduces an immersive, multisensory framework that integrates virtual reality (VR) and vibro-tactile haptic feedback to improve learning. The framework aims to explore how CEM students learn by engaging with and interpreting the meanings of engineering designs through immersive and haptic technologies. The goal is to study how these technologies enhance learners’ ability to recognize the meanings of designs used in construction management tasks. This will be achieved by examining how multisensory interaction can reduce cognitive load, enhance engagement, and strengthen perceptual reasoning during spatial problem-solving tasks. By empowering learners with this control, the technologies offer opportunities to assimilate complex realities of the physical space, such as CEM problem tasks in construction jobsites.

Using DigiTouch technology, learners explore a virtual construction space where visual and tactile cues are synchronized to represent task dependencies, spatial constraints, and sequencing logic for construction management tasks. Haptic cues guide the conveyance of contextual information that parallels the logic of construction assembly, enabling learners to perceive relationships typically abstract in traditional instruction. Grounded in cognitive-load theory, this approach distributes cognitive effort across sensory modalities, promoting more efficient reasoning and deeper conceptual understanding through embodied interaction.

The experiment employs a pre- and post-test design to assess how haptic-guided VR training influences learning performance and cognitive load relative to traditional 2D-based task environments. Engineering students perform planning exercises involving Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) sequencing. Performance measures include task accuracy, completion time, and perceived workload, combined with qualitative engagement data and post-activity reflections. Preliminary results indicate that students in the haptic-VR condition exhibit lower cognitive load, higher sequencing accuracy, and greater engagement than peers in the traditional condition.

Conceptually, DigiTouch extends immersive learning research by modeling how human–technology interaction can strengthen engineering cognition and spatial reasoning. Coupling perceptual feedback with construction logic fosters embodied comprehension of abstract spatial-temporal processes and bridges the gap between digital visualization and physical intuition. This research effort aligns construction engineering pedagogy with emerging Industry 4.0 paradigms that emphasize digital-twin environments, automation, and human–machine collaboration. It connects multisensory learning to promote new forms of competencies and support workforce readiness for technology-integrated construction ecosystems. This work advances the goals of national STEM-education initiatives by demonstrating how haptic and virtual-reality technologies can improve cognitive efficiency, engagement, and concept transfer in engineering education. Findings provide a foundation for scalable, multisensory learning frameworks that prepare future engineers for the digitally augmented construction industry.