A Japanese robot that can pick up and drill in a drywall all by itself could provide a glimpse into the future of construction.The smart robot, HRP-5P, uses object detection and motion planning to perform its construction tasks – albeit very slowly.
It can use small hooks to grab the board, carry it across the room and then drill it in the desired spot.
Robotics are common in manufacturing sites, such as auto plants, but those machines are stationery and carrying out the same task over and over, often in sterile and enclosed environments.
Robots used in construction sites have to move around.
Although much of what they may do is repetitive, they still have to respond to uneven floors and zigzagging routes, depending on a building's design.
Shimizu says it is developing its own artificial intelligence systems, using robots made by Kuka Robotics of Germany.
If they work successfully, the robots could help reduce safety risks and long hours for construction workers.
Using robots makes sense in urban construction, where buildings are high-rise and the same work is repeated on each floor.
Tokyo-based developers from Japan's Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Institute (AIST) say the robot could replace workers assembling ships and aircraft who are often carrying out dangerous work.
They want to use HRP-5P as a development platform for collaboration between industry and academia.
The robot is 182cm (5"10) tall, weighs 101kg (15.9 stone) and can lift things that are 'rug-sized', according to its developers.
More, including a video at the link