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Structuring the context for construction robot development through integrated scenario approach
(2020)
The technological development of construction robots is underway globally. However, current development activities face significant uncertainties, particularly in terms of the definition and management of system requirements, which are primarily based on vague assumptions about the future. Thus, a new tool is required to grasp how construction robots—and their surrounding ecosystems—will be used. This research adopts an unprecedented scenario-based approach to develop and analyze future alternatives for construction robotics in a systematic manner. Hong Kong “toward 2035” is used as an initial test case, and four scenarios of the robot ecosystem, i.e., “Bottleneck,” “Age of Iron Worker,” “Dynamic Co-evolution of Robotization and Modularization,” and “Rise of the Robots,” are developed from evidence-based analysis. Scenarios highlight the crucial role of workers for construction robot utilization. Driving forces, opportunities, and challenges are identified for elaborating strategies under each scenario. The integrated scenario approach and findings lay an important foundation for systems engineering processes in construction robotics to develop a new tool for structuring system context and specifying system requirements.
This chapter presents additional research and development on offsite modular manufacturing of interior subsystems – to transform real estate stock to future demands triggered by demographic challenges, thereby allowing instant deployment. It explores the use of innovative systems for prefabrication. Regarding offsite production and manufacturing, the transformation of parts and low-level components into higher-level components by highly mechanised, automated or robot-supported industrial settings therefore needs to take place. Construction automation for offsite manufacturing, requires the integration of products, organisation, informational aspects, and machine technology in order to maximise efficiency and deliver product quality. A construction-kit cell can confine the production-unit elements in a specific area of the building, yet contain a greater capacity than an upgraded existing environment. A fully robotic construction industry will require significant research and development – of each product, process, and participant of the building production process.
Construction robots are devices of increased danger and, under certain conditions, can become a source of injuries to maintenance personnel, as well as lead to the failure of technological equipment. Most of the accidents are associated with the presence of maintenance personnel in the working area during programming, configuration, training, repair and maintenance of robots. The article describes measures to ensure safety during the maintenance of robots and manipulators. The stages of preparing the construction industry for the use of manipulators, robots and robotic complexes are presented. A system of measures for preparing equipment for use and its maintenance during operation is proposed.
Deliverable D32: Detailed set of privacy guidelines and schemata Responsive Engagement of the Elderly promoting Activity and Customized Healthcare 2 Deliverable D32: Detailed set of privacy guidelines and schemata: Summarization of the outcome of the development of necessary data privacy and security schemata to (1) protect sensed data; (2) ascertain computational anonymity; (3) ensure privileged intervention access (associated with task T.7.5). Abstract: This deliverable report examines the outcomes of the REACH research project with regard to data privacy and data security, associated with Task T7.5. This document gives an overview of our analyses involving ethics and privacy concerns in terms of the individual touchpoints and shows how these findings guided the project towards the determination of the medical purpose and intended use-cornerstones to on the path to market entry. In addition, we provide a brief overview of how the guidelines regarding data protection and encryption influenced the technical design and implementation of project components. Furthermore, we provide an update on the management of legal implications (and the implications resulting from this for system requirements and business strategy) of the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence in the context of REACH solutions, incorporating an external expert opinion. Finally, this deliverable report contains a summary of our approach towards risk gov-ernance and standardization in this regard: our work in REACH on privacy and security schemata, culminated in a CEN Workshop Agreement (guideline) that generalizes REACH outcomes and makes them accessible and usable beyond the REACH consortium .
This deliverable describes the results and reflections by the partners’ efforts on user acceptance and motivation strategies. The report presents the outcome of an identification and detailing of user acceptance and motivation strategies for the overall system (REACH, Touchpoints & Engine concept) and subsystems (Touchpoints, REACH toolkit elements), providing full consideration and detailing of ethical, privacy, legal and usability/accessibility aspects. The REACH system incorporates two strands of technological elements; on the one hand, sensing and monitoring elements, and, on the other hand, motivational and physical engagement elements. For both types, user acceptance is critical allowing for a user experience that leads to (intrinsic, extrinsic, etc.) motivation to more physical activity. The remainder of this Deliverable is structured as follows. First, we introduce the REACH-specific interplay of the concept “user acceptance” with the linked concepts “behaviour change/motivation” and “personalization” in the context of (early) physical activation of elderly persons, and outline the related work and activities conducted in REACH (overall and per TP). Second, we present an analysis and structuring of acceptability drivers (ethical, privacy/security, legal, and accessibility considerations) per Touchpoint. From this we developed an integrated view that represents REACH specific know-how about how to use these acceptability drivers to integrate advanced ICT-driven technology for early detection and intervention use cases seamlessly into age inclusive communities. Third, we present our findings in the context of the development of acceptability drivers for the use of sensing and monitoring elements. We conclude the deliverable by outlining acceptability related evidence and examples from REACH trials (based on Deliverable D27 findings), and by summarizing the overall findings of this deliverable.
Purpose:
Because of the sharply growing interest worldwide of “hard” physical-mechanical robot systems for the execution of on-site construction tasks [i.e. single-task construction robots (STCRs)], the purpose of this study is to equip development projects with a systematic design-management system model that allows to integrate the different needs and aims of stakeholders.
Design/methodology/approach:
This paper proposes a STCR-technology management system (STCR-TMS) for the complete development cycle of STCR designs. The STCR-TMS is based on established principles from systems engineering and management and STCR-specific activities developed and tested by the authors as standalone elements in previous research work.
Findings:
The application of the STCR-TMS revealed the practicability of the method and the underlying concepts to provide practical guidance for the development process. Additional findings indicate that the method is sufficiently generic and flexible for application to different types of robots and indifferent world regions. This research has also shown that key activities need to be addressed to increase the practicability of the STCR-TMS.
Originality/value:
A unique characteristic of this method is the evolution with each utilization cycle. In addition, individual elements are interchangeable and can be adapted based on external circumstances. These properties allow the TMS to be applied to other fields in construction robotics. With the progression of the verification and validation of the method, know-how and certain elements can be fed into standardization activities (e.g. establishing a management system standard).
Single-task construction robots (STCRs) have become a popular research topic for decades. However, there is still a gap in the ubiquitous application of STCRs for onsite construction due to various reasons, such as cost concerns. Therefore, cost–benefit analysis (CBA) can be used to measure the net economic benefit of the STCRs, compared to traditional construction methods, in order to boost the implementation of STCRs. This paper presents a simple and practical framework for the economic evaluation of STCRs and conducts a case study of a cable-driven facade installation robot to verify the method. The results show that the cable-driven robot for facade installation is worth investing in in the UK, as well as in the majority of G20 countries. Furthermore, other socioenvironmental implications of STCRs and the limitations of the study are also discussed. In conclusion, the proposed method is highly adaptable and reproducible. Therefore, researchers, engineers, investors, and policy makers can easily follow and customize this method to assess the economic advantages of any STCR systems, compared to traditional construction technologies.
The construction industry, supported by the materials industry, is a major user of natural resources. Automation and robotics have the potential to play a key role in the development of circular construction by increasing productivity, reducing waste, increasing safety, and mitigating labor shortages. Starting with a brief synopsis of the history of construction robotics and the concept of robot-oriented design, this article presents exemplary case studies of research projects and entrepreneurial activities in which the authors have participated that have contributed to the advancement of concrete construction. The activities of the authors have systematically led to spin-offs and start-ups, especially in recent years (e.g., CREDO Robotics GmbH, ARE23 GmbH, KEWAZO GmbH, ExlenTec Robotics GmbH, etc.), which shows that the use of construction robots is becoming an important part of the construction industry. With the use of automation and robotics in the built environment especially for concrete construction, current challenges such as the housing shortage can be addressed using the leading machinery and robot technology in Germany and other parts of the world. The knowledge and know-hows gained in these endeavors will lay the groundwork for the next frontier of construction robotics beyond the construction sites.
Construction robots are expected to have disruptive impacts on the building industry, but 8 there is still a lack of utilisation. While significant attention has been paid to technical 9 advancement, little has been done to comprehensively understand the broader societal issues 10 associated with the use of this technology. This paper aims to provide a holistic exploration 11 of the influencing factors of the future utilisation of construction robots in a systems manner, 12 analyse the interactions among these factors and identify the key ones that are most 13 influential in shaping the technological transformation. A modified fuzzy decision-making 14 trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method is developed and applied. Hong Kong 15 was selected as the desirable case for the study due to its vibrant yet challenging built 16 environments. Factors were first systematically identified and synthesised before being 17 empirically verified, evaluated and analysed through the modified fuzzy DEMATEL. The 18 results demonstrate the multi-faceted and complexly interrelated factors influencing the 19 utilisation of construction robots. Eleven influencing factors were determined as critical for 20 shaping the future trajectory of robotic applications, among which “construction cost”, 21 “governmental support” and “the scale of prefabrication” are the most influential ones. The 22 findings indicate that more interdisciplinary efforts and broader non-technical discussions are 23 needed to achieve the successful transition of the industry towards robotic construction. The 24 findings further reveal the driving forces of environmental pressures behind the future 25 utilisation of construction robots. Detailed utilisation scenarios which fit to the evolution of 26 the whole society are recommended for future research.