Researchers at Purdue University's Polytechnic Institute are working with automation software and robotics to try to improve and advance construction industry processes, according to www.constructiondive.com.
Jiansong Zhang, assistant professor of construction management technology, is working with algorithms that can support future automation on construction job sites to help continue the advancement in robotics technology—from project planning to hands-on construction processes.
Zhang's research is focused on extracting information through algorithms that help computers review a building's design model and compare it with city and state building codes, for example; any code violations in the design are flagged for correction.
"Even an average laptop, rather than a supercomputer, can perform the reasoning thousands of times faster than a human," Zhang says.
More firms and universities are researching ways in which robotics and automation can help spur productivity growth and advances in the construction industry, which often is known for moving more slowly than other industries regarding technology adoption.
For example, researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich earlier this year developed a new timber construction method using robotics they said allows complex wood structures to be built more easily.
Additionally, Yale University researchers developed what they call "Robotic Skins" technology, which they claim can essentially turn everyday objects into robots. Although not designed with a specific task in mind, the researchers assert the skins could be used as wearable technology when performing complex tasks.
