To date, the most ubiquitous technologies in construction have addressed functions such as project and document management, estimating and bidding, to name a few. Robotic solutions are not as pervasive, but they are advancing rapidly, and we can expect their adoption to grow. Despite what some sci-fi visionaries might suggest, there are not robots out there that can replace humans on construction projects; there are, however, robots that can supplement the way humans work on jobsites. Connecting specialized robotics solutions to project management platforms can supercharge efficiency on projects, saving time and money, boosting safety and enhancing data-driven decision making.
Some robotics solutions can survey sites and monitor progress on projects with photos and videos so teams can rely on them to automate information capture. Robots can also be operated outside of working hours, so the team can focus on driving the project forward, leaving routine work for the automation to handle. Linking captured information such as surveys, jobsite conditions and progress with a broader construction management platform can easily deliver the information teams need to make timely project decisions while also minimizing the need for human labor, saving teams both time and money.
Connected robotics solutions can also bolster safety management on a project. When humans don’t have to walk around a jobsite to survey and track progress, the potential for an incident is reduced. Teams can also use robotic photo and video capture to complete daily safety inspections. Robots can tirelessly complete the tedious, repetitive and laborious work—such as brick laying—that would otherwise strain humans. While automation takes care of those tasks, humans can remain focused on other project work.
Connecting robotics solutions to construction project management platforms can free up human time in other ways. Because the information that robots capture is automated, there is minimal human effort required to manage data transfer on an ongoing basis. Team members can apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to project issues while connected robotic solutions automatically transfer data to project management platforms. Automated data capture and transfer minimizes the risk of human error, keeping the quality of the data consistent. Consequently, teams can more confidently rely on those automated and hygienic data streams to uncover insights on progress and performance, and even make proactive, data-driven decisions about project issues.
It’s exciting to see robotics coming into construction. With the industry’s workforce challenges and tight budgets, construction teams must do more with less. The combined power of robotics with connected construction project management platforms has the potential to help teams save more time and money on projects while making human jobs safer and less strenuous—and enable construction teams to stay competitive in today’s dynamic market.
