ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science → News

Japanese builder-bot offers glimpse into the construction site of the future

No more heavy lifting.

Tibi PuiubyTibi Puiu
October 3, 2018
in News, Robotics
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

RelatedPosts

A history of how computers went from stealing your heart, to stealing your job
China just flaunted its machine gun robot dog and it’s as terrifying as it sounds
Meet ARTEMIS, the world’s fastest humanoid robot that trains to play soccer
These Robot Dogs Kept Going Viral on Social Media — Turns Out, They Have a Spying Backdoor

A sluggish, yet precise robot designed by Japanese engineers demonstrates what construction sites might look like in the future.

Credit: AIST.
Credit: AIST.

The prototype developed at Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology was recently featured in a video picking up a piece of plasterboard and screwing it into a wall.

The robot, called HRP-5P, is much less productive than a human worker. However, its motions are very precise, meaning that this prototype could evolve into a rugged model that’s apt for real-life applications in demanding fields such as constructions.

While most manufacturing fields are being disrupted by automation, with robots doing most of the work in microchip plants or car assembly lines, supervised by human personnel, the same can’t be said about construction. This field is way too dynamic — with every project being unique — and filled with all sorts of obstacles that are too challenging for today’s robots to navigate. HRP-5P, however, suggests that automation could one day become feasible in construction works as well.

For Japan, construction bots are not meant to put people out of jobs, but rather to supplement a dwindling workforce. There’s a great shortage of manual labor in the island state, which is suffering from declining birthrates and an aging population.

Previously, a New York-based company demonstrated a mason-bot capable of laying down 3,000 bricks a day — six times faster than the average human, and cheaper too. Elsewhere, such as at MIT, researchers are experimenting with 3-D printing entire homes in one go.

Tags: constructionrobot

Share15TweetShare
Tibi Puiu

Tibi Puiu

Tibi is a science journalist and co-founder of ZME Science. He writes mainly about emerging tech, physics, climate, and space. In his spare time, Tibi likes to make weird music on his computer and groom felines. He has a B.Sc in mechanical engineering and an M.Sc in renewable energy systems.

Related Posts

Future

These Robot Dogs Kept Going Viral on Social Media — Turns Out, They Have a Spying Backdoor

byMihai Andrei
1 month ago
Science

Kawasaki Unveils a Rideable Robot Horse That Runs on Hydrogen and Moves Like an Animal

byTibi Puiu
1 month ago
Future

This AI-Powered Robot Just Made Breakfast and It Could Cook in Your Future Home

byMihai Andrei
2 months ago
Science

Japan’s Restaurants Are Hiring Cat Robots — And They’re Pretty Good Servers

byMihai Andrei
2 months ago

Recent news

The Worm That Outsourced Locomotion to Its (Many) Butts

May 16, 2025

The unusual world of Roman Collegia — or how to start a company in Ancient Rome

May 16, 2025
Merton College, University of Oxford. Located in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK. Original public domain image from Wikimedia Commons

For over 500 years, Oxford graduates pledged to hate Henry Symeonis. So, who is he?

May 16, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.