Boston Dynamics is partnering with Trimble and Hilti to explore the integration of construction management software solutions, GNSS technology and reality capture devices with the company’s Spot Robot platform.
Autonomous robots may have the ability to play a significant role in construction, specifically in production and quality control workflows by enabling automation of routine and tedious tasks, reducing workload and improving safety.
“Utilizing robots for routine tasks in hazardous environments to improve safety, efficiency and data capture consistency is part of our digital transformation vision,” said Aviad Almagor, senior director for Mixed Reality and Brain-Computer Interface at Trimble. “We are excited for this latest collaboration and looking forward to the potential integration of our hardware and software solutions with the Boston Dynamics’ Spot Robot to enhance field-oriented workflows, reduce amount of rework and facilitate on-site tasks.”
Proof-of-concept
The three companies will collaborate to develop a proof-of-concept solution. Equipped with Trimble’s and Hilti’s reality capture devices as its payload and directly communicating with a cloud-based construction management application.
The Boston Dynamics Spot Robot will be able to provide consistent output, deliver improved efficiency on repeatable tasks and enable up-to-date as-built data analysis.
The Spot Robot’s autonomous, terrain-agnostic capabilities support the dynamic nature of the construction environment, enabling the robot to by-pass obstacles and maintain its defined path to support routine tasks such as daily site scans, progress monitoring, asset management and remote support.
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Multi-directional communication between the robot, Trimble’s and Hilti’s payloads and the cloud application support a continuous flow of information and closes the loop for the construction environment.
“Trimble’s and Hilti’s domain knowledge, market leadership and technologies are a great fit for our robotic platform,” said Michael Perry, vice president of business development at Boston Dynamics. “Deploying an integrated solution in the real-world environment doing dirty and dangerous work, before, during and after the construction stage is a common vision for the three companies, which can help drive the transformation of the construction industry.”
Who is Boston Dynamics?
Boston Dynamics tackles some of the toughest robotics challenges. The company combines the principles of dynamic control and balance with sophisticated mechanical designs, electronics and software for high-performance robots equipped with perception, navigation and intelligence. Boston Dynamics has a fast-growing technical team of engineers and scientists who seamlessly combine advanced analytical thinking with bold engineering and boots-in-the-mud practicality.