Organisers
Andreas, MUELLER, Institute of Robotics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria
Sigrid Brell-Cokcan, Association for Robots in Architecture
Construction and demolition have so far seen the least use of robotic technology to date. On the other hand there are many points indicating that investing in Construction Robotics is timely. The construction industry suffers from a large worker turnover and an increasing shortage of labour force due to unattractive work conditions. This will be a major problem for the European construction industry. At the same time, offsite manufacturing is a growing sub-sector of the construction sector that is increasingly looking at automation and advanced robotic manufacturing.
Introduction of robotic technology will play a significant role in making construction more attractive and cost saving. The required technology exists. But there is yet a long way ahead.
The idea of this workshop is to pinpoint the hotspots within the construction sector that are most relevant for potential robotic solutions, to identify the main obstacles (technological, legal), to consolidate the relevant technology and due adaptation/specialisation/combination. To this end, five presentations will present use cases of successful application of robotics in construction followed by a round table discussion.
As the Construction Robotics Topic Group is engaged in the preparation of the European Robotics Roadmap, the outcome of the workshop will provide further input for the roadmap.
Agenda of the workshop
16.15 –16.35 : Carlos Balaguer: Robots for tunnel inspection
16.35 – 16.50 : Thomas Bock: 35 years of Construction Automation and Robotics
16.50 – 17.15 : Gareth Pierce: Automated non-destructive testing for construction and nuclear decommissioning
17.15 – 17:30 : Andreas Müller: Lightweight and mobile robots – potential application in construction
17.30 – 17.45 : Round table discussion: What are the specific challenges for construction robotics? What are key factor for and against it?