Trimble, Hilti Partner on Site Robot Project

Nov. 21, 2019

Trimble and Hilti will work with the Spot Robot platform to develop an robot that will automate tasks on a job site. The effort will integrate the companies’ construction-management software, GNSS technology, and reality-capture devices with the robotic platform developed by Boston Dynamics.

In a joint press release, Trimble and Hilti said:

“The companies will collaborate to develop a ‘proof-of-concept’ solution. Equipped with Trimble’s and Hilti’s reality capture devices as its payload and directly communicating with a cloud-based construction-management application, the Boston Dynamics Spot Robot will be able to provide consistent output, deliver improved efficiency on repeatable tasks, and enable up-to-date as-built data analysis. The autonomous, terrain-agnostic capabilities support the dynamic nature of the construction environment, enabling the robot to by-pass obstacles and maintain its defined path to support routine tasks such as daily site scans, progress monitoring, asset management and remote support.”

Aviad Almagor, senior director for mixed reality and brain-computer interface at Trimble, said in a prepared statement:

“Utilizing robots for routine tasks in hazardous environments to improve safety, efficiency, and data capture consistency is part of our digital transformation vision. We are excited for this latest collaboration and looking forward to the potential integration of our hardware and software solutions with the Boston Dynamics’ Spot Robot to enhance field-oriented workflows, reduce amount of rework and facilitate on-site tasks.”

Said Michael Perry, VP of business development for Boston Dynamics, in a prepared statement:

“Trimble’s and Hilti’s domain knowledge, market leadership and technologies are a great fit for our robotic platform. Deploying an integrated solution in the real-world environment doing dirty and dangerous work, before, during and after the construction stage is a common vision for the three companies, which can help drive the transformation of the construction industry.”

Source: Trimble