Tags: AI, future, software, computer
Our drive for a more advanced and innovative society is increasing like wildfire. Research and development of more technologically capable tools is a priority in many fields, one of them being the construction industry [3]. In the video “How will artificial intelligence benefit the construction industry?” the Arup director Tim Chapman defines artificial intelligence (AI) to be the ability for machines to think. It deals with the engineering of intelligent machines or computer programs that understand human behavior and intelligence [1].
AI will have a significant impact on construction in terms of design processes and making the construction process more streamlined and efficient. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers states that robots are being increasingly used for tasks such as demolition, welding, bricklaying, and concrete dispensing on jobsites today [2]. When I first watched the video in class that involved bricklaying performed by the robotic arm, I was excited because I saw how beneficial this technology would be in the future of construction. Using AI also means avoiding human risk for errors and an increased accuracy. Further, it creates more safety on the jobsite. Since safety is one of the most important values of various construction firms, AI gives an extra edge.
In the article “Artificial intelligence has a big year ahead”, a discussed use of AI is in predicting bridge failures. A combination of data and software is all it takes to prevent a bridge failure in simple steps. Not only does this save lives, but also a large amount of time and labor.
In his TedXUCLouvain talk, Pierre Latteur describes the impact of robotics in construction as the newest revolution. He specifically talks about drones to carry out tasks like bricklaying using a completely automated process. Figure-1 below shows an example of how using only 2 drones, a 16 square meter masonry unit can be build in only 2 hours with a total cost of only 4 euros per square meter. Latteur says this is 10 times cheaper and 5 times faster.
Figure-1: Drone Building
Several challenges exist in this sector, including positioning problems of the drone carrying masses under the influence of wind. Also, as the concrete elements get larger and heavier, there are more challenges with accurate positioning of the element. I was first skeptical about topic because I was wasn’t sure if the drones would be strong enough to carry the concrete loads. I also have questions about the grip strength of the drones and several safety concerns without UAV’s flying around a jobsite. All in all, this seems like an exciting and highly innovative tool for the future of construction.
Comments to others:
Peter Dannemann: I have never heard of Quicabot before and I’m very glad I came across this! It seems crazy and exciting to me that Quicabot can inspect a building in half the time a human can, with more reliability. I can’t help but think what the construction industry would look like in several years. It would be completely taken over by robots. In the event of a malfunction, I am curious to know how this would impact the construction. This would put a building in risk of collapse due to a software error, or even a hacker. Despite this, I see much potential in this field.
Egla Qori: 3-D printing is a concept that I believed was applicable in many fields, however, construction was not one of them. I think it is absolutely fascinating how entire homes can be 3-D printed. Using this technology, the possibilities are endless to designing and constructing entirely innovative and efficient structures. As you mentioned the egg-shaped form, the printer removes the risk of human error in designing it and proves total safety. New shapes can be created that were never introduced before.
Nick Pawlikowski: Reading about the work that MX3D has done in 3-D printing blows my mind. Sometimes I forget that we live in “the future”, since advances like this are quickly taking over. I wonder what the cost of 3-D printing a whole structure is compared to conventional methods of building. It makes sense that there is still a decade of work needed for full development. I’m excited to see where this technology goes in the coming years.
References
- http://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/whatisai/node1.html
- https://www.aem.org/news/october-2016/how-artificial-intelligence-could-revolutionize-construction/
- http://www.conexpoconagg.com/news/august-2016/artificial-intelligence-in-the-construction-indust/
I also read your sources, when I was writing my post! I agree that future technology with AI could be very beneficial to the construction industry, and I’d love to see it develop a lot. Not only will it help increase the efficiency, but it will also help increase the safety as mentioned in your one article. Although there’s a lot of improvement to be done, I believe going in this direction of development with construction technology is smart.
ReplyDelete-Rachel Frank
I think it is so interesting to see the actual numbers behind drones constructing buildings. To be 10 times cheaper and 5 times faster, I wouldn't see a reason to not continue to improve this function of drones. I think it is important to note the loss of jobs. Construction workers account for a large amount of our population and that would make them unnecessary.
ReplyDeleteVery interested in whole drones carrying the materials form Site A and then assisting in the construction. I agree with you with the fact that there is a lot to take into consideration, but in time this will help improve efficiency and reduce the time of construction significantly. Like you mentioned 10 times cheaper and 5 times faster I feel is just an estimate, it could definitely be more than that in the future. I am looking forward to the advances of AI in the construction field.
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