On the morning of the 7th at 6 a.m., a briefing was underway at the construction site of 'Cheolsan Jayi Der Heritage' in Gwangmyeong, South Korea. Foreign workers were seen mixed among domestic technicians. As the safety manager spoke into the microphone about the weather and site-specific precautions, real-time translated text appeared on a screen positioned in front of the workers in English, Chinese, and Vietnamese.
During the subsequent team meetings, as each Head of Team relayed precautions, translated text appeared on the screen, and some foreign workers occasionally nodded while observing the screen.
◇Real-time translation in 120 languages…"Workers' concentration increases"
GS Engineering and Construction developed the AI translation program 'Xi Voice' last year to facilitate smooth communication with foreign workers at the site and has embarked on enhancing safety and quality through digital transformation (DX).
'Xi Voice' is a program developed in-house by the newly established digital innovation team at GS Engineering and Construction, not as an outsourced service. It was piloted at select sites from April to June last year before being officially launched in June after incorporating improvement suggestions from actual personnel.
GS Engineering and Construction explained that significant efforts were made to ensure accurate translations of construction terminology that were not adequately translated by existing programs. Additionally, text visibility improvements and text input functions were added for instances when voice recognition may struggle due to site noise.
In fact, the content spoken by the reporter was also translated and displayed in real-time on the screen. Workers who missed the content due to the fast speaking speed could access previous information via a QR code link. Xi Voice is used not only for morning briefings but also for regular and irregular safety training.
With the introduction of Xi Voice on site, most workers and site supervisors report satisfaction. A representative from the Cheolsan Jayi Der Heritage site said, "When Xi Voice was not in use, it was challenging for team leaders who spoke foreign languages to convey all information. Foreign workers were often busy looking at their smartphones during safety training sessions because they couldn’t understand the content, but after implementing Xi Voice, the focus during training has increased." They added, "Domestic technical staff and site supervisors are also highly satisfied with the faster pace of morning briefings and safety training."
In the early phases of construction, where simple tasks are numerous, foreign workers account for about 30% of the total workforce. Most are from China and Vietnam, but workers from other countries, such as Uzbekistan and Russia, are also deployed at the site. In preparation for this, Xi Voice currently provides translation in 120 languages.
◇Regret over one-way communication… Development plans for a smartphone app
Xi Voice currently only allows for one-way communication of announcements to workers, and real-time interaction poses challenges. Additionally, Xi Voice is utilized not only at apartment construction sites but also at various civil engineering sites like roads and tunnels, where internet connectivity is difficult, limiting its usage.
GS Engineering and Construction is developing 'Xi Voice 2' to address these issues. A pilot application is planned for as early as the first half of this year. It will be developed as a smartphone application, allowing individual foreign workers to utilize Xi Voice for two-way communication with site personnel. The program will be developed to allow for offline translations in areas where internet connectivity is challenging, such as underground sites.
A representative from the digital innovation team at GS Engineering and Construction noted, "In addition to Xi Voice, we are collaboratively developing various programs that can be effectively used on-site," adding, "Xi Voice will be developed and improved in both PC and smartphone app versions, helping facilitate communications for foreign workers, who represent a significant portion of recent construction sites, thereby enhancing safety and quality on-site."