New Hire Spotlight: Meet Technology Specialist Adam Lahouar
Get to know one of Procon’s recent hires, robotics expert and Virginia Tech alum, Adam Lahouar.
Adam has been directly involved in Procon’s joint research initiative in partnership with VT’s Myers-Lawson School of Construction (VT MLSoC). The MARIO (Multi-Agent Robotic System for Inspection On-Site) program explores the use of robotics for remote progress monitoring of construction sites. We sat down with Adam to learn more about his tech background and favorites.
Tell us about your journey into the AEC industry. When did you realize you wanted to work in construction and tech?
I grew up in Blacksburg, VA and naturally ended up at Virginia Tech, where I decided to pursue computer engineering because that’s what I was (and still am) interested in. After I finished, I ended up in the Computer Science Department getting my Master’s in Machine Learning.
While looking for lab funding to finish my degree, I joined the MLSoC (Myers-Lawson School of Construction) ARCADE (Automation & Robotics in Construction And Design Engineering) lab and worked on the joint VT-Procon MARIO (Multi-Agent Robotic System for Inspection On-Site) project with Dr. Keresh Afsari.
That project taught me a lot about using robotics and software to solve physical, real-world problems. It felt very rewarding to see my work demonstrated at CMAA, where I had the pleasure of meeting Procon’s Director of Technology, Stephen DeVito, and some of the Procon team.
After graduating, I was given the opportunity to join full-time, and I took it! So, I never explicitly planned to enter the AEC industry, I was just in the right place at the right time!
What project(s) do you support at Procon?
I’m currently developing 360-degree-image-based facility lifecycle management software. I’m also supporting a pilot project to deploy a robot dog at Port Canaveral Cruise Terminal 5 for autonomous reality capture.
Favorite book or movie of all time?
It’s a boring answer, but probably The Dark Knight. It just has too many iconic lines and scenes to not be considered a masterpiece.
What is your favorite city to visit?
I’ve only been once, but Bern, Switzerland. It was quiet, very pedestrian-friendly, and I nerd-ed out over the infrastructure (very good public transit and fast, free Wi-Fi almost everywhere made exploring incredibly easy). Also, the chocolates (and cheeses) were delicious.
