Getting a full 3D visualization of a construction site is a trick that a few off-the-shelf tools can offer, but what you do next with that data is the real challenge. 

Seeing drones and augmented-reality headsets up close isn’t the novelty it was for construction professionals just a few years ago.

With the global mining industry still digging out of commodity slowdowns, much of the heavy equipment on display at this year’s MINExpo International exhibition was geared toward solving technological problems in time for the next boom.

Technology for true augmented reality—with 3D models and metadata floating before a user’s eyes and mapping to the environment in real time—is still in development. But technology firm Scope AR is trying to get augmented reality into the hands of industry professionals today, providing the tools to build their own AR visualizations.

Adrenaline is running high as you snake your way through the top-secret research facility.

The future of wearable technology for the construction industry conjures up images of workers covered in clunky machinery—hydraulically powered exosuits multiplying the wearers’ strength, while gleaming visors with information-dense heads-up displays block their vision.

The potential of virtual- and augmented-reality headsets is seen not only in the design world but also among major equipment makers, as well.