Automation in Construction in brief – 07/06/2025
Automation and Digitization
A novel AI system, integrating vision-language models, has been developed to enhance construction site safety monitoring. This system employs a semi-automatic data labeling pipeline, a two-stage curriculum learning paradigm, and a hierarchical prompting framework based on construction safety ontology. It achieves over 90% accuracy in identifying safety violations, significantly improving upon traditional manual inspections and existing computer vision methods. The system has been successfully deployed and tested in real-time at a Hong Kong construction site.
Source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106305
Hugging Face, an AI development platform, has unveiled SmolVLA, a compact yet potent open robotics model. Trained on community datasets, it outperforms larger models and runs on basic hardware like a MacBook. This innovation is part of Hugging Face’s push to democratize robotics, following their acquisition of Pollen Robotics and launch of affordable robotics systems. SmolVLA’s unique asynchronous inference stack enables swift robotic responses in dynamic environments. Despite competition from firms like Nvidia and K-Scale Labs, Hugging Face’s strides in open robotics are noteworthy.
Google is re-entering the AI glasses market with Android XR smart glasses, a more conventional design compared to its predecessor, Google Glass. The tech giant aims to overcome past criticisms, dubbed the “glasshole” era, with this new iteration.
Germany’s Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) and Epea, a consulting firm, have partnered to integrate Epea’s digital tool, Proca, with the DGNB Navigator. This collaboration aims to streamline sustainable building certification by providing transparent, verified product data. Manufacturers, planners, and auditors benefit from automated data transfer, enhancing efficiency and reducing costs. The alliance seeks to establish a new standard in sustainability assessment for the construction industry.
Source: https://www.ingenieur.de/fachmedien/bauingenieur/mehr-transparenz-bei-bauproduktdaten/
Construction Robotics
Swiss-led researchers are exploring the use of aerial robots for precise construction and repair work in hard-to-reach areas. These drones, controlled by autonomous systems, could complement ground-based machinery in disaster zones or at great heights. While promising, challenges remain in robotics, materials science, and architecture. Current prototypes demonstrate various aerial construction methods, but industrial use is yet to be realized. The Empa’s new DroneHub aims to bridge the gap between lab testing and real-world applications. Despite limitations in energy consumption and build volume, drones offer flexibility and scalability, potentially revolutionizing construction and repair work.
Source: https://eu-recycling.com/Archive/47330
Researchers explore the psychophysiological impacts of powered exoskeletons on construction workers. While these devices aim to reduce physical strain, their adoption is hindered by concerns over cognitive overload, trust, and vigilance. Researchers used virtual reality to simulate construction tasks, finding that exoskeletons increased cognitive load by 39% and reduced trust by 35%, although vigilance remained stable. The insights could guide broader implementation of exoskeletons in construction, balancing their benefits with psychophysiological risks.
Source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106312
A new framework merges Building Information Modeling (BIM) with semantic web technology to bolster robotic visual perception in construction. This integration enables real-time, accurate component detection and scene understanding, enhancing robots’ autonomy and efficiency. Case studies validate its efficacy in dynamic environments, promising broader applications in construction technology.
Source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106270
Zoox, Amazon’s autonomous vehicle subsidiary, has commenced testing its robotaxis in Los Angeles, marking the sixth city in its cautiously paced rollout. Unlike competitors, Zoox employs retrofitted Toyota Highlanders with human drivers for testing. The firm’s gradual approach contrasts with rivals like Waymo and Cruise, which have faced regulatory hurdles. Zoox’s vehicles are designed specifically for driverless operations, setting it apart in the autonomous vehicle landscape.
Source: https://www.planetizen.com/news/2025/05/134982-amazon-owned-robotaxis-begin-testing-la
Amazon has unveiled a new R&D group dedicated to agentic AI, nestled within Lab126, its hardware division. The e-commerce titan aims to bolster its robotics prowess, particularly in warehouse automation. The move underscores Amazon’s commitment to AI-driven innovation, with potential implications for its logistics and consumer products.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/05/amazon-launches-new-rd-group-focused-on-agentic-ai-and-robotics/
Bosch Rexroth is streamlining robotics automation by integrating hardware, software, and apps, enabling faster development and customization. A start-up, pssbl. Robotics, leverages this for tailored solutions from batch size 1. The open system reduces engineering effort and time-to-market, catering to diverse robotic types and industries.
Source: https://www.ingenieur.de/fachmedien/konstruktion/schnelle-time-to-market-fuer-robotikhersteller/
The Fraunhofer IFF is pioneering cognitive robotics, enhancing human-robot collaboration with AI-driven solutions and novel safety techniques. Their patented Paru system uses dynamic light curtains for safe interaction, while domain randomization trains robots to adapt to real-world variations. These advancements enable robots to perform complex tasks, such as industrial assembly and disassembly, and even handle delicate objects in healthcare settings, marking a significant leap in robotic applications
Space Construction
Japan’s ispace, a private aerospace company, likely faced another setback as its second lunar landing attempt, Hakuto-R Mission 2, lost communication with the Resilience lander. The craft aimed to make history as the first non-US commercial lander to touch down on the moon. This follows a similar failure in 2023, attributed to a software error. The mission was part of ispace’s ambitious Venture Moon initiative, which envisions a lunar city by 2040. The lander carried a European rover and a symbolic Swedish art installation. Despite recent commercial lunar landing struggles, ispace plans a larger rover mission for 2027.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/05/moon-japan-crash-landing