How Robots May Be a Construction Problem-Solver
Date Posted: December 7, 2017
Posted In: Ideas, Workforce,
From Procore: Are robots the answer to some of the construction industry’s problems, such as workforce shortages and productivity issues? The folks at San Francisco-based Built Robotics think so.
The company has developed a suite of software that can turn existing construction equipment and heavy machinery into autonomous vehicles, explains Kelly Dillon, Built Robotics’ head of people operations.
Think self-driving cars but on a larger scale and with jobs to do. The software is designed for the requirements and needs of the construction industry, essentially turning diggers into robots that can work with precision for long hours.
“We currently have a retrofitted skid-steer that we can direct via computer to dig holes and move dirt,” Dillon says.
So far, she says, the company has completed a few pilot projects. Over the next few months, the goal is to continue research and development.
Projects like these were exactly what Noah Ready-Campbell, the founder and the CEO of Built Robotics had in mind, when he set up the company about two years ago. His main aim has been using technology to solve some of construction’s biggest issues—specifically, workforce shortages, productivity, and safety.
Improving Productivity in Construction
Built Robotics has assembled a team of engineers, construction experts, and robotics experts with the goal of disrupting the construction industry and finding a new way to build. Dillon says the company plans to hire a vice president of construction to manage all construction aspects as they prepare to deploy their robots.
Recently, the company has raised $15 million in a round of funding led by venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates.