Every developed country and region is now experiencing this aging problem. Robotics technology developed rapidly during the 1980s, particularly in Japan, to tackle labour shortages due to an aging workforce and younger workers being reluctant to do hard physical labour. It can be used to tackle some longstanding issues in the industry. In the debate on the future of construction and architecture, robotic technology is always an indispensable direction for discussion. But for full automation, there is still a long road ahead.Īdvantages of introducing robotics and automation into the construction industry The development of such a system requires deep knowledge of construction management and understanding of process flow, but on this, there is a lack of studies and scientific models.Īutomation for many individual tasks at construction sites may be feasible within the coming 10 to 20 years. It is like a football team of star players without a professional manager. Although we have sophisticated robots for individual tasks, a fully automatic management system is yet to be devised. A construction project usually includes hundreds of tasks and multiple phases. The complexity of construction tasks also limits the adoption of robotic technology. If robots replace human workers, how can these requirements be imposed on robots? Who is to be held responsible for any defective works or accidents? The ethic of robotics in construction is a notable gap. Professional qualification assessments and the legal liability of workers stated in contracts provide safety assurances. To ensure the quality and safety of construction work, there are complicated and sometimes harsh regulations in place. The challenges to automation in construction also come from established regulations and complex procedures. It will be quite costly to make a robot that can “do-everything” and adapt to these varying conditions of operation. These are huge technological challenges facing the construction robot inventors. Workers are expected to work under extreme and frequently changing environments such as wet and dry, hot and cold, sandy and watery, and in open and narrow spaces. Construction sites are full of “surprises” and uncertainty. In the construction industry, it is a totally different story. In industry, robots usually operate in well-defined and predictable indoor settings, confined to a fixed assembly line or working space to do assigned jobs. However, financial benefit alone is not enough to push the construction industry forward. According to the McKinsey analysis, US labour compensation in manufacturing is four times the average robot price. It is indisputable that an automated robotic system helps reduce production and labour costs. However, despite the obvious benefits, the construction industry has yet to embrace the automation trend. The investment in robots contributed to 10 percent of GDP growth per capita in OECD countries from 1993 to 2016. The number of industrial robots in use worldwide has multiplied three-fold over the past two decades, to 2.25 million. It paved the way for full automation in the manufacturing line. The robotic manipulator “Unimate” that can move six degrees of freedom and handle objects weighing up to 500 pounds was unveiled. Industrial robots came into the spotlight in the 1960s. As a result, more money is required to cover higher salaries, insurance premiums and occupational safety training and equipment. Globally, an aging workforce has led to fewer workers and more work injuries. The construction industry is facing challenges ranging from labour safety and costs to tightening environmental regulations. It is still a labor-intensive industry assisted by non-automated machines, although these are much more sophisticated and efficient than those of ancient times. After thousands of years, there is no big difference in the mode of construction. Simple machines, like the ramp and the lever, were invented to aid construction. The temples and pyramids of ancient Egypt continue to fascinate, not only for their sheer size but also the techniques used to build them. Save this picture! © ICD/ITKE University of Stuttgart Sustainability and Performance in Architecture The Future of Architectural Visualization
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