Robots are NOT Taking Over the Construction Industry

Construction Process

4 Ways Technology is Here to Help

“Humans have this amazing ability to take a challenging situation, think in real time and then be able to adjust to it.” – Scott Peters, President and Co-founder of Construction Robotics

This is something that most robots can’t do. 

There’s a fear circling around the construction and manufacturing industry that claims it will be taken over by machines and robots as the age of technology only enhances. Why don’t you need to worry about this happening?

Because technology cannot replace the skills of a human, only supplement them. It’s here to help, and here’s how:

The Internet of Things

Smart devices that are connected through the Internet of Things (IoT) can provide your firm the opportunity to collect, monitor, and make adjustments based on real-time data. There are sensors, cameras, and wearable equipment for your workers that can give you insight into the overall safety of your operation, as well as how to optimize your job site. For example, these tools could allow you to monitor your crew’s health levels to prevent any injury from things such as heat exhaustion during the hot summer months. 

Artificial Intelligence

The IoT is able to collect tons of data, but Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning is what to use to analyze all of it. Instead of spending your time getting lost in tracking through data coming in at real-time, you can shift your efforts to making high-level strategic decisions based on what machine learning alerts you about from the data. An example of this efficiency is the technology from Smartvid.io, a platform that uses visual information from a jobsite through live camera footage and tags potential safety hazards and violations occurring on the jobsite. The company has seen reduced injury rates up to 30 percent, avoiding 1 of 4 predicted incidents and saving companies $1.4 to $3.6 million with the incorporation of their AI technology.

Virtual Reality

Say goodbye to the “It just doesn’t look like what I had imagined” situation. Virtual reality can be used for both clients and construction managers alike, allowing the project to be seen in a finished state while still in the planning phase. This ability can enhance how you present your plan to a customer, as well as make sure what you have developed will be correct when it comes time to fit all the parts together.

This tool has even been used by doctors when developing plans for new hospitals or medical centers. They’re able to see what the rooms would look like and practice performing surgery in this virtual space to make sure it fits all of their needs.

Drones

Another way of increasing the safety of your operation is to prevent workers from having to climb to extreme heights while using crucial time and energy just to get an overhead look at things. Using drones is a safe way of getting a bird’s eye-view of the state of your project, making sure to keep your crew safe while maintaining accurate to the plan, timeline, and budget of your construction project.

As time goes by, I am sure we will be seeing more technological tools developed, but it’s important to remember, these “robots” aren’t here to take our jobs. They’re here to give more space and opportunity for our creative, strategic, and critical thinking skills to thrive in the construction and manufacturing industries.