Autonomous machines are starting to perform tasks on construction sites. (Image Credit: Built Robotics)
The construction industry is very labor-intensive, but due to social distancing rules and labor shortage, it had to adapt to fewer on-site workers. Being able to adapt is one of the industry’s strongest skill, and with technology constantly advancing, construction robots is a promising solution to this problem.
Currently, the construction industry spends around $10 trillion each year, making it one of the largest sectors in the global economy. It accounts for 13% of the world’s GDP, even though the sector has only seen an annual productivity growth of 1% over the past 20 years. By using autonomy in the construction industry, approximately $1.6 trillion of additional value could be generated.
Construction robotics sales are expected to reach an increase of over $225 million by 2025. However, robotics in the construction industry is less common than in other manual sectors. There are numerous reasons for this slow adoption.
Robots are commonly used in mass manufacturing lines. They are set in place, performing repetitive tasks. This environment is completely different from an outdoor construction site, which could have unpredictable weather and a unique end product. It could present a challenge for robots since building sites are complex and require sound judgment.
There is also a high up-front cost when it comes to investing in robotics. The investment alone is too high for the majority of construction companies since they operate on thin margins. As a result, it’s less costly to hire and train human workers.
Robots in construction could provide plenty of promising innovations. Only a few firms are using them on-site along with their regular tasks. However, the technology needs to advance before being adopted elsewhere.
Construction sites are dangerous, which potentially poses a barrier when it comes to using robotics. Lawyers and insurers worry about the risks involved with an autonomous robot moving around a building site.
Even though those problems could pop-up on construction sites, there are some noteworthy advantages.
Less waste is produced by 3D printed and pre-fabrication construction robots since it only needs a certain amount of material for a project. This makes it environmentally friendly while making it less costly. There are fewer skilled workers on construction sites than ever before. At the start of 2020, the UK had less than 200,000 construction workers. Deploying robots could help solve this issue.
Crave’s robot is capable of installing drywall in an unfinished building. (Image Credit: Canvas)
Canvas, a robotics start-up based in San Francisco, has announced its public launch with partnerships and $19 million in financing. It also unveiled its participation in several high-profile projects as part of multi-year partnerships with leading construction developers.
The company has developed a four-wheeled robot that navigates an unfinished building and uses a modified JLG lift, robotic arm, laser scanners, and sensors to automate drywall installation. By using artificial intelligence and sensors, the robot can scan an unfinished wall and works on smoothing the surface before installing a layer of drywall compound. It also lifts an object with the robotic arm and asks a worker for assistance.
Even though some robotic companies sell or rent the hardware, Canvas’ robots need to be operated by a trained human worker from the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades.
Canvas installs drywall at commercial construction sites larger than 10,000 square feet. The robots perform tasks much faster and at a higher level of quality than a human worker.
Canvas’ robot has already been tested, under Arevalo’s supervision, at various construction sites in the past few months. Sites include the new Harvey Milk Terminal at San Francisco International Airport and an office building connected to the Chase Center arena in San Francisco. Once the task of installing drywall is perfected, Canvas plans on further developing its robot so that it can apply paint and spray-on insulation.
Fastbrick Robotics’ Hadrian X can lay 200 bricks in an hour and build a two-story house. (Image Credit: Fastbrick Robotics)
Hadrian X, a brick-laying robot built by Australian firm Fastbrick Robotics, has broken its speed record by laying 200 bricks per hour. The robot operates by using sensor and Dynamic Stabilisation Technology (DST) to adjust for wind, vibration, and other environmental factors instantly. This allows objects to be precisely positioned over large distances outside. Hadrian X is also capable of constructing a full-sized home in just two days.
It has a telescopic boom mounted to an excavator or truck with an onboard computer system that obtains a 3D CAD model of a building. The DST system keeps it lined up while placing bricks along with mortar and adhesive, allowing it to build the structure. Ultimately, the goal is for Hadrian X to lay 1,000 bricks per hour. However, it may take some time to achieve that. Software upgrades enabled it to lay 85 bricks an hour before the pandemic, to 150 an hour, and then to over 200 an hour.
Hadrian X also built a two-story structure. Starter bars were placed in the concrete slab, with couplers used to install rebars through the blocks aligned cores and concrete poured into the cores. Steel cages were inserted in the block columns, with a concrete pump filling the columns. A crane lifted a precast concrete slab onto the structure after completing the first story. Hadrian X built the second story after the crane left.
Komatsu has implemented NVIDIA’s AI to its construction sites in Japan, improving safety and efficiency. (Image Credit: NVIDIA)
In 2017, Komatsu implemented NVIDIA’s AI to its construction sites across Japan, increasing safety and efficiency. The system uses NVIDIA’s GPUs to communicate with drones and cameras on construction sites. NVIDIA’s Jetson AI platform powers cameras attached to Komatsu’s machinery to produce real-time, 360-degree views, identifying workers and machines to prevent accidents.
Komatsu uses SkyCatch drones to collect and map 3D images, creating a visualization of a construction site. The drones scan a site to monitor how much has been excavated. Video data is processed using NVIDIA’s GPUs for visualization mapping and analysis.
The drones are capable of monitoring equipment usage and determining how long a machine is idle. It can conclude that an excavator spends 30% of its time moving dirt, 20% of its time moving from one location to the next, and 50% of its time being idle. As a result, using this AI system helps to reduce costs on construction sites.
SafeAI retrofitted a Caterpillar 725 articulated dump truck with its autonomy platform. (Image Credit: SafeAI)
In November, SafeAI teamed up with Japanese construction company Obayashi Corporation to create autonomous construction sites. SafeAI operated an autonomous Caterpillar 725 articulated dump truck at a construction site in California to demonstrate load-haul-dump cycles.
SafeAI has built an open, interoperable autonomy platform that can be retrofitted across a fleet of industrial equipment. The interoperable model can be integrated with ecosystem partners, bringing the vehicle onto the autonomous platform. SafeAI’s advanced autonomy can be deployed for different construction tasks while navigating a worksite. Autonomous heavy equipment is a safer, productive solution that operates 24/7 without risking injury to human workers.
The Caterpillar 725 articulated dump truck is more productive and requires less operator input. It has an assisted automatic hoist, which puts the transmission in neutral, applies the waiting brake, and lifts the truck bed to the maximum tipping angle. The bed is lowered used a controlled descent, which prevents it from slamming down. The machine is equipped with Cat Detect with Stability Assist to keep it from rolling over. An operator receives visual and audible alerts when it’s moving.
Built Robotics’ autonomous vehicles are now available to construction and heavy machine operators in the US. (Image Credit: Built Robotics)
Built Robotics has released its autonomous construction vehicles to contractors and heavy machine operators in the US. Implementing a software upgrade to the machinery enables it to run autonomously or be piloted remotely. By using Built Robotics’ software, the equipment can dig trenches, excavate foundations, and grade building pads. Remote equipment operators can control the autonomous fleet from a web-based platform.
The machinery uses heavy-duty, vibration-proof LIDAR sensors and GPS to navigate on a construction site. A stack of computers in a roof-mounted box gives it a sense of what it visualizes, enabling it to dig up a site based on a set of coordinates from building plans. Onboard cameras and LIDAR systems alert the machinery if workers or other vehicles are nearby. Remote operators can set-up a geo-fence so that the robot is restricted to working inside that area.
It takes one or two days to upgrade and train workers to use the software through Built Robotics. Afterward, customers pay a monthly fee to use the software. An hourly fee also applies based on the usage of the robot. Once operators are trained, they can oversee a fleet of autonomous machines simultaneously.
Shimizu’s Robo-Welder works all night at construction sites in Japan. (Image Credit: Shimizu)
In 2018, Japanese contractor Shimizu demonstrated a construction robot, called Robo-Welder, which helped increase productivity while making up for the labor shortage at Japanese construction sites. The robots perform instructions autonomously, which are sent from a human operator’s tablet. Robo-Welder only operates during the night shift when human workers aren’t around due to safety and regulatory concerns.
Robo-Welder features a robotic arm that uses laser shape measurement to determine the contours of a groove, or channel, on a steel column to be welded. It also determines how it should cleanly insert the welding material in the channel. The welding is performed by the arm moving along six different axes. Two Robo-Welders can work together on a single column.
HRP-5P is a humanoid construction robot that can install drywall. (Image Credit: AIST)
Japan’s Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) developed HRP-5P, a humanoid construction robot capable of performing simple tasks, like drywall installation. The goal is to replace human workers in the construction industry and dangerous work environments. HRP-5P is ideal for applications at assembly sites to construct buildings, houses, aircraft, and ships.
HRP-5P is 182cm tall and weighs 101kg. It consists of intelligent features, such as environmental measurement, object recognition, control technology, whole-body motion planning, and task description capability. The robot comes with two degrees of freedom in the neck, three degrees of freedom at the waist, eight degrees of freedom in each arm, six degrees of freedom in each leg, and two degrees of freedom in each hand. Overall, its range of motion and strength allow it to handle large objects such as drywall gypsum boards and plywood sheets.
HRP-5P is designed to carry out tasks two times faster than older versions due to a joint drive system with several motors. Head-mounted sensors perform 3D measurements of the environment. The robot also uses memory to navigate around an area if its field of view is obstructed by objects such as a vehicle or stack of materials.
Trimble has formed a partnership with Boston Dynamics to integrated its technology with Spot. (Image Credit: Boston Dynamics)
Trimble Construction and Boston Dynamics announced a partnership to integrate Trimble’s construction data collection technologies with Boston Dynamics’ Spot robot. The plan is for Spot to navigate hazardous environments in construction sites to collect data and visual images. Spot’s autonomous mobility is combined with Trimble’s sensors and field control software so that repetitive tasks can be automated, which includes site scans, surveying, and progress monitoring.
This partnership allows Trimble to exclusively sell and support the Spot robot with its integrated scanning and GNSS technologies for use at construction sites. These integrated solutions are expected to be available by the second quarter of 2021.
Mortenson, a US-based builder, developer, and engineering service provider, is one of the first customers to trial the Spot robots equipped with Trimble’s SPS986 GNSS solutions. The Spot robots navigate through challenging construction environments such as solar farms to record real-time site conditions. This provides Mortensen with real-time awareness of project status.
Boston Dynamics has also upgraded its Spot robot. It can now use a recharging station to power itself up, which increases its range and allows it to be deployed in more remote locations. An arm has also been installed, enabling the robot to open drawers or doors, flip a power switch, or adjust valves.
Comau’s Mate-XT wearable exoskeleton can improve a worker’s job performance. It can be worn for construction, carpentry, agriculture, assembly, logistics, and more. (Image Credit: Comau Robotics)
If all else fails, augment humans. On December 2nd, 2020, Comau Robotics unveiled its Mate-XT wearable exoskeleton. According to Comau, it “fully accommodates the specific needs of workers in demanding industrial, non-industrial and open-air environments.” Mate-XT features a lightweight carbon-fiber structure and a regulation system. Its UV-light, dust, and temperature resistant design allow it to fit any body frame.
The exoskeleton is breathable due to an improved high-performance fabric construction for the outdoors. It can be worn for carpentry, agriculture, assembly, construction, logistics, and more. It doesn’t rely on batteries, motors, or other devices to provide body support. Instead, it replicates the wearer’s physiological shoulder movements. It also provides eight levels of assistance that can be set or adjusted by the worker.
The overall work quality and wellbeing are enhanced in a consistent, efficient, and highly ergonomic manner. Customers can calculate ROI with measurable ergonomic performance. By wearing Mate-XT, workers could improve accuracy while performing overhead tasks by 27% and execution speed by 10%.
Additionally, it reduces cycle times by 5%. The exoskeleton increases precision, quality, and performance. Shoulder muscle activity is also reduced by 30% and decreases the effort felt by workers. Over 50% of workers have reported improvements in job quality.
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