UPCOMING! MassRobotics signature series event – Wednesday, Jun 21st, 2023: Robotics in Construction. Learn more here!

Robotics in Construction: Innovation to Implementation

Robotics has influenced many modern industries by improving efficiency and safety, and reducing material waste and labor costs, yet construction has been slow to adopt newer technology. This trend is changing. Construction presents a multitude of potential use cases and unique applications for robotics and technology. These use cases can utilize a variety of evolving technologies from drones, ground robotics, teleoperation, machine vision, additive manufacturing and assistive robotics.

We held our 3rd Annual Robotics in Construction event on March 15 to bring together representatives from the Construction (AEC) industry with leading technologists from the robotics and innovation community to develop a collective understanding of the challenges the construction industry faces, and the opportunities robotics offers to help address them.

The event was kicked off by Rick Rundell, Senior Direct, Autodesk Research, who spoke about their Technology Centers, the future of construction, and showed several examples of robotics on construction sites, 3D printing applications, and generative design.

Autodesk is a long-time supporter of MassRobotics and collaborator for this annual event.

Rick moderated a panel of investors dedicated to advancing technology and robotics in the Build Space to discuss construction challenges and success. Panelists included:

Gregg Wallace, Building Ventures #ForABetterBuiltWorld
K.P. Reddy, Shadow Ventures #TransformTheBuiltEnvironment
Wan Li Zhu, Suffolk Technologies and Boost Accelerator
Alice Leung, Brick & Mortar Ventures

The second half of the event was focused on technology and robotics with applications in the build space. Peter Bleday, Head of Autonomous Vehicles, Danfoss, shared information on labor shortage and examples of why autonomy is a solution for challenges including safety, productivity and precision.