Construction businesses value AI and robotics

Artificial intelligence and robots have the ability to help workers in the construction field improve productivity, enhance safety, and much more.

By Robotic Industries Association (RIA) March 29, 2020

The construction industry relies on human-powered labor for most projects, start to finish. However, businesses are starting to take notice of AI and robotics. When you look at a completed building now, you assume human workers did everything from moving the dirt to installing the plumbing to hanging the lights. Could a building one day be constructed by robots, though?

Meeting the challenges of the construction industry

Many construction tasks fall into the “three Ds.” These tasks are dull, dirty or dangerous. AI and robotics help construction businesses keep workers safer and happier with their jobs. Those who work with construction service robots have begun to understand that AI and robotics aren’t a threat to their industry, but that technology can boost their productivity.

The labor shortage has hit the construction industry hard. Millions of jobs are unfilled. Construction companies struggle to hire workers. Youths looking for jobs don’t want a career where they’ll have to spend cold winters and hot summers outside doing hard work. Businesses see the need to improve working conditions with AI and robotics.

AI and robotics target specific applications

Construction service robots often have a specific application. For example, robots have been designed to help with masonry tasks like bricklaying and delivering cement blocks, easing a lot of physical strain. The robots perform the work faster and allow workers to focus on more skilled tasks like checking the quality of mortar joints.

Other robots used on the job site include drones that are equipped with 3D vision and AI. These drones fly around the job and keep track of how much work has been completed. This information is critical to a contractor who may be penalized for missing a deadline or incentivized for finishing the job early while meeting a certain quality standard.

Some workers get to use supportive robotic vests that lessen fatigue while performing tasks like drilling. Other designs include robots that drive around the job and mark locations of walls and other features, using the blueprints as a source. Want to know something else about robots? They don’t get sore muscles. They don’t need breaks. And they don’t call in sick.

This article originally appeared on the Robotics Online Blog. Robotic Industries Association (RIA) is a part of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), a CFE Media content partner.