ABSTRACT
The idea of using robots and automating construction sites is not new – the first research and publications on construction robotics date back to the 1970s in the former Soviet Union. By the mid-1980s, robotic systems were developed and introduced for inspection tasks on a radioactively contaminated building site. By 1991, the first full-scale application of construction automation was materialized in Japan. Fast-forward almost four decades, and when you look around on construction sites, you will see that still, the use of robots and construction automation is very limited or non-existent. The industry still struggles to pass the prototype and research stages, and their development and applications are still considered experimental and mostly conducted by universities and research centers. The main reasons are mostly the same as those that prevented their implementation in the 1980s and 1990s. However, significant technological advancements are pushing the architecture, engineering, construction, and facilities management (AEC/FM) industry towards digitalization and automation (known as Construction 4.0). Among enabling technologies available today that did not exist in the 1980s or 1990s are mobile and cloud computing/telecommunications, big data and deep learning, wireless sensor networks, and various BIM tools. Thoughtful implementation of these, together with classic and modern (e.g. collaborative, swarm) robotic technology concepts, can make a significant difference in the success of construction robot applications today as compared with what was available decades ago. In addition, the current legal environment, building codes, and regulations are probably now more inclined to allow flexibility to incorporate the changes in the industry, giving construction robots and automation a greater chance to succeed.
These advancements will undoubtedly make more cost-effective applications, which will profoundly change the AEC/FM industry. Particular attention should be made to the transition phase, in which human-robot interaction will play an essential part. Also, close consideration should be given to conflicts that will arise regarding the conventional and new delivery systems, organizational structures, and social implications, as these will have a profound influence in the future of construction automation and robotics.
