South Korean construction company GS E&C announced that it has begun deploying an autonomous robot for use in local construction sites – believed to be a first in the country - after completing successful trials, in partnership with construction software startup Cupix.

Named Spot, this four-legged walking robot manufactured by Boston Dynamics was developed in 2015 and introduced to the market last year. The machine is known to be able to overcome obstacles and run smoothly on rough terrains.

In its statement, GS E&C explained that both the company and Cupix have installed various advanced equipment such as LiDAR, 360-degree cameras, and IoT sensors on Spot in order to carry out trials at local construction sites. The locations included an apartment in Seongnam and a concert hall in Seoul, where Spot autonomously walked around the project sites and collected data. This collected data is combined with 3D BIM data, and is used to confirm whether there is interference with electrical and equipment installation and establish a safety management plan.

The data collected from Spot can be utilised to review the quality of the projects, said GS E&C. The company added that a variety of IoT sensors will be installed on Spot for harmful gas detection in hazardous areas as well as for safety management of construction sites using thermal image detection.

GS E&C further stated, “With the introduction of Spot at a construction site, technologies such as big data, AI-enabled image analysis, IoT sensors, and augmented reality, which are the core technologies of the fourth industrial revolution, will be utilised at construction sites. We will build a smart construction technology operation system that can respond to various risks that may occur at all sites, including housing, infrastructure and plant project sites.”

Image: GS E&C