Construction robotics does not always require a humanoid.
Sometimes the most useful robot is one designed to perform a single difficult task exceptionally well.
Nexterity is developing a compact robot designed to loosen and tighten the bolts used to connect industrial pipes. (TechCrunch)
A dangerous repetitive task
Bolted pipe joints are common across infrastructure industries.
Workers may have to repeatedly loosen and tighten large bolts, sometimes while working long shifts.
Nexterity founder Lindsey Elliott, a former ExxonMobil engineer and planner, developed the robot after spending years examining problems within industrial piping.
A robot designed around the job
The machine attaches around a pipe and can operate on multiple bolts simultaneously.
Nexterity says its different configurations cover common pipe sizes and are small enough to be transported in a Pelican case by a single worker. (TechCrunch)
That portability is important.
Construction environments change constantly.
A robot that requires a dedicated production line or permanent infrastructure is difficult to deploy across different worksites.
Automation doesn’t always mean humanoids
The Nexterity example illustrates an important point about robotics.
A humanoid robot is designed to operate in environments built for humans.
But if a task can be automated with a specialized machine, a specialized machine may be more appropriate.
The construction industry contains thousands of repetitive tasks that could potentially be automated individually.
Robotics for the physical economy
Construction, mining, utilities and infrastructure remain relatively difficult industries to automate because their environments are less controlled than factories.
Robots must operate outdoors, around heavy equipment and across changing surfaces.
That makes compact, specialized systems potentially valuable.
Nexterity’s approach demonstrates how the next robotics wave may include thousands of specialized machines rather than only general-purpose humanoids.
(TechCrunch)