Bricklaying Robots and Exoskeletons Are the Future of the Construction Industry (vice.com)

David Silverberg reports via Motherboard: One of the most staid and digitally conservative industries is on the verge of a robotic makeover. The global construction space isn't known for ushering new tech into their workforce, but a painful labour shortage, calls for increased worker safety and more low-cost housing, and the need to catch up to other tech-savvy sectors is giving upstarts in robotics and exoskeletons their big moment. The construction industry isn't immune to this phenomenon, but robots and humans may increasingly work hand-in-hand in industrial sectors, according to Brian Turmail, senior executive director of public affairs at the Associated General Contractors of America. This is especially true when the construction industry en masse uses exoskeleton vests, which aim to assist workers with heavy loads and thus reduce their risk of injury.

The Hadrian X is a bricklaying robot courtesy Australia's Fastbrick Robotics, which uses its 30-meter metal arm to lay bricks at a rate of 1,000 bricks per hour, compared to a human worker's average of 1,000 a day. Due for release in late 2017, Hadrian X can read a 3D CAD model of the house and then it follows those instructions precisely, working day and night. New York-based Construction Robotics has also developed its take on a bricklaying robot. SAM can lay 3,000 bricks a day, and the company said it's about time this industry got a whiff of the change almost every other market has been seeing.

Comments

Re:"a painful labour shortage"?! Bollocks!

[jellomizer]

There is a shortage of workers that the employees are willing to higher.

While politicians want to make the narrative of the hard working American who does their job every day, and comes home to a loving family.
The truth especially for people who work construction. While they are a lot good workers, there are a bunch of Drop outs, more interested in getting drunk and/or taking drugs. Who party themselves sick and don't reliably show up to work. And when they are on the job, they just goof off and put in a half hearted effort, while the older guy is doing the bulk of the work.
Employers are having a hard time find people who can pass a drug test, and be reliable to show up to work and put in a full days worth of work, and not rob the company or their customers blind.

Even if there are a mountain of people who are asking for a job, they won't keep their jobs if they are unwilling to earn their money. In short the Employee needs to be worth more to the organization then what they are getting paid. Sounds like I am being an evil capitalist, but the fact is, if you worth equal or less then your value there is no need for you are you are not beneficial.