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Pvilion, a Brooklyn-based manufacturer of rapidly deployable robotic structures, is working with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on a project to use computer automation to improve its manufacturing process. The partnership comes in response to the growing need for rapidly deployable temporary... View full entry
Foster + Partners has been exploring the use of Spot®, the robot 'dog' that can meander through construction sites to capture and monitor project progress. The architecture firm's involvement comes as part of Boston Dynamics' Early Adopter Program. Foster + Partners' Applied Research +... View full entry
Perth, Australia-based robotics company FBR – formerly known as Fastbrick Robotics – has built its first two-storey house using its Hadrian X block-laying robot, which has been in development since 2015. — Global Construction Review
According to Global Construction Review, "it was the first time the robotic block-laying approach incorporated steel reinforced concrete columns and a concrete floor slab placed atop the structure’s first story." View full entry
On October 15, 2020 Chinese workers relocated an old building in Shanghai using an innovative "walking" method. The Lagena Primary School which was built in 1935 needed to move to a new location. The team in Shanghai lifted the entire structure atop an army of robots and moved it "step by step" to... View full entry
There's a funny thing that tends to happen in schools of architecture and design firms among the younger practitioners and students. The growth of computational modes of design and the development of design software has produced a generation of creative people who increasingly rely on the use of a... View full entry
After months of testing by multiple general contractors, Boston Dynamics’ Spot the robot dog is being put to use in a real-world scenario, at the Denver International Airport’s multibillion-dollar expansion and renovation project. — Construction Dive
According to Construction Dive, Hensel Phelps employees have used the autonomous machine to perform multiple scans at the airport's Great Hall jobsite. Using Spot Walk, an application developed by Boston Dynamics, the robot can travel the same preplanned route to document project... View full entry
China’s largest property developer by sales Country Garden is planning to start mass production of construction robots next year to cut costs and raise efficiency, it said on Friday.
The group, which started investing in robotics research and development in 2018, said it aims to have at least one robot at each of its sites across the nation.
— Reuters
According to Reuters, Country Garden Holdings Co. Ltd. has signaled its intention to invest more than $2 billion in robotics each year for the next five years to boost automation in the company's construction, agriculture, restaurant, and property management businesses. To showcase its... View full entry
Bleutech Park Properties, a real-estate investment trust (REIT), and KME Architects have unveiled plans for a new "Digital Infrastructure City" in Las Vegas. The digitally-focused, smart city-style development is set to feature "automated multi-functional designs," "supertrees," and... View full entry
Supporting applied research projects that 'enhance the value of design and professional practice knowledge', The AIA Upjohn Research Initiative funds up to six research grants of $15,000 to $30,000 annually for projects completed within an 18-month period. This year's grants... View full entry
Join us at Archinect Outpost on March 23th, from 7–9pm to host Liam Young and his newly edited book: Machine Landscapes: Architectures of the Post-Anthropocene. Young and Geoff Manaugh will be in attendance to present their thoughts on the book, followed by a book signing. Machine Landscapes can... View full entry
Salesforce Tower, San Francisco’s tallest building, can be seen for miles around the Bay Area.
But to inspect the building’s exterior for potential damage, owner Boston Properties needed to get close. So it enlisted a drone.
At 1,070 feet, the tower is a major example of the growing use of drones for building and construction inspections.
— San Francisco Chronicle
The SF Chronicle writes about the increasing deployment of flying high-tech equipment to cut down on the inspection time (and cost) on very large buildings, such as Salesforce Tower: "The small aircraft, which now have high definition cameras, are cheaper, faster and safer than traditional human... View full entry
Turkish based architecture studio Melike Altinisik Architects (MAA) wins the first ever international design competition hosted by The Seoul Metropolitan Government. The first competition of its kind, applicants were asked to submit a design idea to pioneer the world's first robot science museum... View full entry
The 180-sqm, three bedroom, two bathroom structure was completed in under three days by Hadrian X, a new version of the robot. — Global Construction Review
Designed by an Australian company, Fast Brick Construction, the first version of Hadrian X was unveiled in 2015. Today the robot is capable of building and assessing a house from start to finish. Throughout its testing at the factory, it succeeded at completing a two-course structure, involving... View full entry
An electric exoskeleton that enables the wearer to lift 90kg for extended periods has been introduced by US firm Sarcos, and is due to be commercially available in 2020. [...]
The Guardian XO Max has a strength amplification of 20 to 1, making 45kg feel like 2.3kg. The full weight of the suit and anything being carried is transferred through the suit’s structure to the ground.
— BIM+
According to the manufacturer, American robotics firm Sarcos, the untethered suit's batteries last for up to eight hours on a single charge. Prototype of the Guardian XO Max industrial exoskeleton. Image: Sarcos. View full entry
The HRP-5P is a humanoid robot from Japan’s Advanced Industrial Science and Technology institute that can perform common construction tasks including — as we see above — install drywall.
HRP-5P — maybe we can call it Herb? — uses environmental measurement, object detection and motion planning to perform various tasks.
— TechCrunch
Ever had to install large sections of drywall and wondered if there wasn't a machine available that could do that for you while you take care of a bowl of nachos? Well, now there is: Japanese researchers have developed a humanoid worker robot, HRP-5P, which appears to be capable of performing the... View full entry