Robots in factories aren’t new—they’ve been around since the 1950s. But humanoid robots—those built to resemble people with torsos, arms and legs—are beginning their foray into manufacturing plants.
The operative word here is “beginning.” According to an article in Forbes, factories are both ready and reluctant, the reluctance hinging on cost.
Will these humanoid robots—or humanoids—make an appearance in construction?
According to McKinsey, yes. But not right away. In its recently released write-up, “Humanoid Robots in the Construction Industry: A Future Vision,” McKinsey authors explained that usage could be a decade away. “But construction leaders should begin preparing for humanoid deployment now, because recent technological advances suggest the possibility of an accelerated timeline,” the authors write.
Moving Construction Toward Technology
Similar to the rest of the commercial real estate industry, the construction sector has been slow to adopt digitalization and automation. There is justification for this: Development projects are unique, involving changing layouts and safety risks. The result is continued reliance on manual labor.
However, the article stated that the current situation is untenable. “Hiring more workers has been difficult because of the labor shortage,” the authors said. “Exacerbating the problem, global demand for housing and infrastructure is accelerating.”
While some companies have launched pilots with non-human robots that perform simple tasks, none of these have reached full-scale deployment. However, “pilot programs in groundworks and roadworks have been more successful, particularly with highly specialized robots such as driverless pavers and autonomous rollers,” the article said.
The Move Up
The good news is that the only way to go is up. The McKinsey authors stated that humanoid power stems from embodied artificial intelligence, which can facilitate real-time decision-making, as opposed to repetitive tasks. Also on the horizon are the potential benefits of improved mobility and dexterity, as well as the use of sensors and modeling to enhance safety and collaboration.
Furthermore, more money is being funneled into the humanoid sector—upwards of $1 billion. As such, this technology could assist in areas including pipe installation in tight spaces, wire pulling, sorting out construction waste, precision taping and holding drywall.
Preparation Steps
The McKinsey authors pointed out that the full-scale deployment of humanoid robots is less a matter of “if,” but more a matter of “when.” With this in mind, leaders should determine where humanoids could provide the most value—reducing hazardous risks or supporting large-scale infrastructure construction.
Construction leaders should also consider how to proceed, as first movers who pilot projects, early adopters, or selective deployers concentrating on use case implementation that offers a high ROI.
The article acknowledged that humanoids are more of a future vision than today’s reality. The technology continues to change. However, as construction industry labor and productivity challenges continue to grow, “construction leaders would do well to begin considering potential uses for humanoids now,” the authors said. “If humanoids do become a cost-effective solution, companies will want to move as fast as possible.”
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