Automation in Construction in brief – 28/06/2025
Automation and Digitization
Germany’s Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG), effective June 28th, 2025, mandates private businesses to ensure digital accessibility. Websites, apps, and digital services must be usable by everyone, regardless of disability. The law, implementing the EU’s Accessibility Act, applies to companies with over 10 employees or €2m in revenue. Non-compliance may result in fines up to €100,000. However, critics argue that the law’s impact may be slow, and small businesses face significant challenges in implementing the required changes.
Source: https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/inklusion-digital-barrierefreiheitsstaerkungsgesetz-bfsg-100.html
Researchers have developed an automated method to design HVAC water piping systems in buildings. The process uses an escape graph and an ant colony algorithm to generate optimized pipe layouts, reducing design time and manual workload. The method was verified in real buildings, showing significant improvements in efficiency and energy savings. Future work aims to refine the optimization process and enable direct comparison with manual designs. HVAC systems are crucial for building energy consumption, and current design methods are often time-consuming and suboptimal. This automated approach addresses the complexities of building environments and multi-objective optimization in HVAC design.
Source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106359
Researchers have developed AcciVid, an AI framework to automate the analysis of construction safety accident videos. AcciVid uses large multimodal models and graph retrieval-augmented generation to detect safety violations, outperforming human experts by identifying 90% more violations in just 42 seconds, compared to 4.6 hours by humans. The system achieved an F2 score of 82.4%, significantly higher than the 54.8% by human investigators. This technology aims to reduce manual workloads and enhance efficiency in construction safety investigations.
Source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106363
A new review paper published in Automation in Construction surveys advancements in managing high-density pedestrian flows in urban spaces using information technology. The authors identify a critical gap in the integration of data acquisition, prediction models, and decision-making for automated crowd management. They analyze key technologies, including multi-source data fusion, deep learning-based prediction, and decision optimization platforms. The review also explores emerging trends like edge computing and digital twins. The authors call for a holistic framework to guide future research and practical deployment in smart cities.
Source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106367
Anthropic, an AI company, has initiated the Economic Futures Program to investigate AI’s impacts on jobs and the economy. The program will fund research, convene policy discussions, and track AI’s economic effects. This move follows predictions of significant AI-driven job losses and aims to prepare for potential economic shifts. Meanwhile, rival OpenAI focuses on AI adoption and infrastructure. Other tech firms, like Lyft, are also addressing industry disruptions.
Tesla’s robotaxi debut in Austin sparks controversy and federal scrutiny. The rollout, limited to South Austin with fewer than 20 vehicles, drew mixed reactions. Social media posts showed traffic violations, prompting regulators to intervene. Meanwhile, Tesla plans layoffs amid political distractions and executive departures.
Construction Robotics
Researchers at the University of Bristol have developed robotic suckers mimicking octopus tentacles, using water to form a liquid seal that enhances grip on irregular surfaces. These suckers, made of silicone, can hold objects for extended periods with minimal leakage, offering a low-cost, efficient adhesion strategy for next-generation robots, particularly in underwater exploration. The study, published in PNAS, highlights the potential of bio-inspired technology in advancing robotic capabilities.
Researchers have developed a new method for automated construction site inspection using UAVs, 3D reconstruction, and Building Information Modeling (BIM). The method involves environmental perception, waypoint calculation, and path planning to enhance safety and efficiency. Experiments showed a 20.3% increase in inspection speed and reduced battery usage. The approach addresses the challenges of manual inspections and the complexities of construction sites, aiming to reduce labor demands and improve safety management.
Source: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2025.106360
Uber now offers autonomous ride-hailing and food delivery in Atlanta. In partnership with Serve Robotics, Uber Eats customers can opt for sidewalk robot deliveries. This follows a commercial robotaxi service launch with Waymo. Serve Robotics, spun off from Uber in 2021, aims to deploy 2,000 robots across several U.S. cities by year-end. The service is initially available in metro Atlanta from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Raphe mPhibr, an Indian drone startup, has secured $100M in a Series B funding round led by General Catalyst. The company aims to bolster its R&D and production capabilities amidst rising demand for military drones. India’s drone spending is set to triple following heightened usage in recent conflicts. Raphe mPhibr, which produces a range of drones for various military applications, plans to expand internationally and go public within the next five years. The startup has been profitable for the past four years and has sold over 300 drones in the last 12 months.
Google DeepMind unveiled Gemini Robotics On-Device, a language model that runs locally on robots without needing an internet connection. The model, an upgrade from the cloud-based Gemini Robotics, can control a robot’s movements using natural language prompts. It performed well in benchmarks and was adapted to work on various robots, including ones from ALOHA and Apptronik. Google also released a Gemini Robotics SDK for developers. Other companies, like Nvidia and Hugging Face, are also advancing in robotics AI.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/24/google-rolls-out-new-gemini-model-that-can-run-on-robots-locally/
Space Construction
NASA awarded $18,000 to three university teams for their solutions in long-duration cryogenic liquid storage and transfer systems. The winners, announced on June 26, were Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University ($10,000), Old Dominion University ($5,000), and Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($3,000). The challenge, sponsored by NASA’s Human Landing System Program, aims to support future Artemis missions to the Moon and Mars.
NASA and the Australian National University (ANU) are collaborating to test laser communications technology during the Artemis II moon mission. This technology promises to transmit data 10 to 100 times faster than traditional radio waves. NASA’s Glenn Research Center has developed a cost-effective laser transceiver using commercial parts. During Artemis II, scheduled for early 2026, NASA will attempt to send 4K video and other data from the Moon to Earth using this technology. ANU researchers will attempt to receive this data at the Mount Stromlo Observatory ground station. If successful, the test could prove the viability of commercial parts for affordable, scalable space communication systems.
NASA’s Artemis ROADS III National Challenge concluded its 2024–2025 competition, engaging over 1,500 students across 22 states. Participants tackled eight mission objectives inspired by NASA’s Artemis moon missions, applying STEM skills in creative projects. Notable challenges included designing a lunar water purification system and programming a rover for autonomous navigation. Thirty-five teams completed all objectives, with highlights available on NESSP’s YouTube channel. The program also offered professional development for educators.
NASA, through its Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program, is cultivating innovative ideas for future aerospace missions. Notable concepts include a system to separate oxygen from water in microgravity, a bacterial approach to detoxify Martian water, and mitochondrial transplants to combat deep space radiation. Additionally, digital thread technology is being explored for custom spacesuits. These initiatives aim to bolster space exploration and benefit life on Earth. NASA is accepting applications for the 2026 Phase I solicitation until July 15.
Lux Aeterna, a Denver-based startup, aims to make satellites reusable. Their first model, Delphi, is planned to launch and land in 2027. The company has secured $4 million in pre-seed funding, attracting interest from the Department of Defense and venture capitalists. The satellite’s design includes a heat shield to survive multiple re-entries. Founder Brian Taylor, formerly of SpaceX and Amazon’s Kuiper program, believes satellite reusability could significantly reduce costs and increase flexibility in space operations.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/25/new-space-startup-lux-aeterna-wants-to-make-satellites-reusable/
