@article{Linner, author = {Linner, Thomas}, title = {Special issue ISARC 2021}, series = {Construction Robotics}, volume = {Vol. 6}, journal = {Construction Robotics}, number = {Issue 2}, editor = {Linner, Thomas}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, doi = {10.1007/s41693-022-00079-y}, pages = {58 -- 68}, abstract = {The research filed of construction robotics broadens increasingly in terms of complexity, approaches, technologies used, active stakeholders, and application areas. Worldwide labour and resource shortages, the need to increase circularity and resource efficiency, new materials and the increasing utilisation of digital construction tools in the planning and construction industry massively spur the uptake of robotic solutions for on-site construction. The initial boom of construction robots happened in the 1970s, driven by the Japanese construction industry. In the 1980s, a combination with parallel developments was supposed to achieve complete, integrated robotic on-site factories. From the mid-1980s onwards, the global interest in construction robots decreased gradually. Bulky and expensive systems, complex on-site navigation and logistics approaches, a narrow scope of tasks, inflexibility, incompatibility with on-site work organisation and professional qualification, low usability and insufficient inter-robot coordination capabilities revealed the immaturity of the systems. Only a few organisations predominantly situated in Asia such as Takenaka, Obayashi, Kajima Corporation, Nihon Bisho Co., Samsung, and Hitachi maintained development activities. However, since the mid-2010s, development activities are gaining traction again. On the application side, this is mainly driven by trends such as the need to upgrade the energy performance of buildings in Europe, a global necessity to remove asbestos from existing structures, and a demand for enormous quantities of high-rise buildings all over East Asia. On the system side, the renewed interest stems from major advances in physical-mechanical robot technology in other automation-driven industries such as the automotive industry. Robots became lighter, more flexible, their parts modular and interchangeable, more user friendly as well as significantly cheaper. On the digital side, the BIM-to-Robot pipeline was subject of intensive reserach and development. More and more methods and tools help to increase the usability of robots and facilitate the simulation and optimisation of robot-driven construction processes. In the last 4-5 years, the worldwide growing need and interest in construction robotics became highly evident. More than 200 robot systems are pushed by start-ups and spin-offs and their investors to the market. This is backed by an enormous number of activities and projects carried out in the academic area pushing to the boundaries of what is technologically possible. Major associations and their conferences increase significantly in popularity such as ISARC (International Association for Automation and Robotics in Construction), EC3 (European Council of Computing in Construction), and Robots in Architecture. Competency in digital construction, automation and robotics becomes a key for all stakeholders in the construction industry and many universities worldwide launch dedicated interdisciplinary programs. Powerful governments (China) and major funding programs such as Horizon Europe (Europe) massively request and fund the development of robotic solutions for construction such as drones, mobile robots, 3D-printing solutions, cable-driven robots, and exoskeletons. Regulators and standardisation organisation start to develop the first certification and standardisation schemes for construction robots and large software companies make attempts to allow to simulate and program robotic construction processes efficiently and robustly based on digital building and construction data. To showcase the diversity of cutting-edge research in the area, this special issue invited eight extended versions of selected papers from the ISARC 2021 conference. As such, this issue covers digital approaches to embed fabrication and robot information in BIM and IFC and program robots directly from digital building models. New robot systems spur novel robotic production processes, and machine learning enable novel logistics approaches for building components that may ultimately lead to robotic cranes and other robotic on-site logistics and handling solutions (including autonomous construction machines). In parallel, systematic evaluation and robot development methods are developed that allow to shed light on their performance in the construction process.}, language = {en} } @article{Linner, author = {Linner, Thomas}, title = {Special issue: Implementation-Oriented Construction Robotics}, series = {Construction Robotics}, volume = {7}, journal = {Construction Robotics}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, doi = {10.1007/s41693-023-00100-y}, pages = {1 -- 2}, language = {en} } @article{NgHallSchmailzletal., author = {Ng, Ming Shan and Hall, Daniel and Schmailzl, Marc and Linner, Thomas and Bock, Thomas}, title = {Identifying enablers and relational ontology networks in design for digital fabrication}, series = {Automation in Construction}, volume = {144}, journal = {Automation in Construction}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0926-5805}, doi = {10.1016/j.autcon.2022.104592}, abstract = {As use of digital fabrication increases in architecture, engineering and construction, the industry seeks appropriate management and processes to enable the adoption during the design/planning phase. Many enablers have been identified across various studies; however, a comprehensive synthesis defining the enablers of design for digital fabrication does not yet exist. This work conducts a systematic literature review of 59 journal articles published in the past decade and identifies 140 enablers under eight categories: actors, resources, conditions, attributes, processes, artefacts, values and risks. The enablers' frequency network is illustrated using an adjacency matrix. Through the lens of actor-network theory, the work creates a relational ontology to demonstrate the linkages between different enablers. Three examples are presented using onion diagrams: circular construction focus, business model focus and digital twin in industrialisation focus. Finally, this work discusses the intersection of relational ontology with process modelling to design future digital fabrication work routines.}, language = {en} } @article{LafhajAlBalkhyLinner, author = {Lafhaj, Zoubeir and AlBalkhy, Wassim and Linner, Thomas}, title = {"Imagine and make": teaching construction robotics for higher education students}, series = {Construction Robotics}, journal = {Construction Robotics}, number = {7}, publisher = {Springer}, issn = {2509-8780}, doi = {10.1007/s41693-023-00092-9}, pages = {65 -- 75}, abstract = {The use of robotics in construction projects is still in its infancy despite the opportunities that robots can present for the improvement of construction practices. One of the strategies to effectively increase the reliance on robots in construction is increasing the knowledge and improving the educational programs about robotics for university students. This paper contributes to the ongoing efforts worldwide to improve the teaching methods about construction robotics through the presentation of a novel method called "Imagine and Make", in which students learn how to integrate robotics in different aspects and practices in construction projects. The method has been applied at Centrale Lille in France since 2018. The results of the application of "Imagine and Make" in the first semester of 2021-2022, evaluation by students, and teaching outcomes are reported in this paper.}, language = {en} } @article{HuLinnerTrummeretal., author = {Hu, Rongbo and Linner, Thomas and Trummer, Julian and G{\"u}ttler, J{\"o}rg and Kabouteh, Amir and Langosch, Katharina and Bock, Thomas}, title = {Developing a Smart Home Solution Based on Personalized Intelligent Interior Units to Promote Activity and Customized Healthcare for Aging Society}, series = {Journal of Population Ageing: Special Issue on responsive engagement of older persons promoting activity and customized healthcare}, volume = {13}, journal = {Journal of Population Ageing: Special Issue on responsive engagement of older persons promoting activity and customized healthcare}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, doi = {10.1007/s12062-020-09267-6}, pages = {257 -- 280}, abstract = {The world's population is aging at an unprecedented pace. Aging society is not only a severe crisis in the developed world, but also a rigorous challenge in emerging economies. Many age-related diseases are fostered by the lack of physical, cognitive, and social activities. Increasing the activity level has many benefits for the elderly and can improve their independence. Based on the analysis of the state-of-the-art and shortcomings of the current smart home solutions, the EU-funded research project REACH aims to develop a service system that will turn clinical and care environments into personalized modular sensing, prevention, and intervention systems that encourage the elderly to become healthy through various activities. To achieve that goal, the research team developed a series of smart furniture (PI2Us) that materialize the research concepts and functionality seamlessly into the various environments. Specifically, the development process and the functionality testing results of the PI2Us are reported in detail. In addition, a simulated smart home solution concept (TRACK) integrating key assistive technologies developed is proposed to create a comprehensive interior living and care environment for elderly users. Due to its modularity and flexibility, the partial or entire solution can be easily adapted and rapidly deployed in different use case settings in Europe, which allows the project consortium to execute different testing activities. In the next phase, the research team will focus on enhancing the usability and performance of the prototypes in order to eventually push them to the market. In conclusion, this research provides an innovative smart home solution for the industry to mitigate the impact of aging society.}, language = {en} } @article{LinnerSeelingerVogtLydiaetal., author = {Linner, Thomas and Seelinger, Anja and Vogt Lydia, and Sch{\"a}pers Barbara, and Steinb{\"o}ck, Martina and Krewer, Carmen and Bock, Thomas}, title = {REACH: Solutions for Technology-Based Prevention and Empowerment for Older People and their Caregivers}, series = {Journal of Population Ageing: Special Issue on responsive engagement of older persons promoting activity and customized healthcare}, volume = {13}, journal = {Journal of Population Ageing: Special Issue on responsive engagement of older persons promoting activity and customized healthcare}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, doi = {10.1007/s12062-020-09268-5}, pages = {131 -- 137}, abstract = {REACH stands for "Responsive Engagement of the Elderly Promoting Activity and Customized Healthcare". Sustained physical activity matters greatly to the health and well-being of older people and significantly improves their chance of maintaining independent living. It can make a difference across the whole care continuum as well as in almost every setting. Therefore, REACH solutions focus on the systematic, target-oriented increase of physical activity of older people, and tackle the whole prevention spectrum (primary, secondary, and tertiary). It seeks to empower older people and their formal and informal caregivers, and works towards viable solutions for both the formal and in-formal care sector. Technology-based personalization of prevention, activation, and care services provided in various living and care settings is at the center of the developed solutions. Ideally toolkit approach would allow for the tailoring of solutions that create value for end-users, care providers and health care payers alike through the combination, integration and adaptation/re-design elements towards the different contexts of different countries, different payment and reimbursement structures. This Special Issue sheds light on such solutions, their conception, their development, and their testing.}, language = {en} } @article{NgHallSchmailzletal., author = {Ng, Ming Shan and Hall, Daniel and Schmailzl, Marc and Linner, Thomas and Bock, Thomas}, title = {Identifying enabler and relational ontology networks in design for digital fabrication}, series = {Automation in construction}, volume = {144}, journal = {Automation in construction}, number = {December}, publisher = {Elsevier}, doi = {10.1016/j.autcon.2022.104592}, pages = {1 -- 20}, abstract = {As use of digital fabrication increases in architecture, engineering and construction, the industry seeks appropriate management and processes to enable the adoption during the design/planning phase. Many enablers have been identified across various studies; however, a comprehensive synthesis defining the enablers of design for digital fabrication does not yet exist. This work conducts a systematic literature review of 59 journal articles published in the past decade and identifies 140 enablers under eight categories: actors, resources, conditions, attributes, processes, artefacts, values and risks. The enablers' frequency network is illustrated using an adjacency matrix. Through the lens of actor-network theory, the work creates a relational ontology to demonstrate the linkages between different enablers. Three examples are presented using onion diagrams: circular construction focus, business model focus and digital twin in industrialisation focus. Finally, this work discusses the intersection of relational ontology with process modelling to design future digital fabrication work routines.}, language = {en} }