Navigating potentially unsafe terrain, cleaning up a job site and evaluating build progress are both every day and mandatory tasks on many construction sites – and all come with safety concerns. Professionals will soon reduce the risks and delays impacting the industry and leave those jobs to a new four-legged friend helping to change the future of work in the construction space and beyond: DogBot.
UK-based AI researchers, React Robotics, are dedicated to creating an open and responsible path towards robots participating in our world, starting with DogBot. Designed with Autodesk Fusion 360, the quadruped robotic “helper” utilizes cutting-edge machine learning algorithms for locomotion, perception and proprioception – allowing users to modify it to complete numerous tasks, such as 3D scanning for build progress verification, managing site logistics and real-time sensor-data acquisition.
“What we wanted to do was find a way of bringing intelligence into the real world, so [we’re] aiming to build a robotics body for the artificial intelligence revolution that we’ve all seen coming,” said Dr. Charles Galambos, CTO and co-founder at React Robotics. “DogBot is about opening the way to robots that really understand the world and interact with it.”
What we wanted to do was find a way of bringing intelligence into the real world, so [we’re] aiming to build a robotics body for the artificial intelligence revolution that we’ve all seen coming.
DogBot can be programmed to execute tasks in high-risk industrial environments, providing a huge advantage for the construction space concerned about safety risks or injuries to employees. To keep its human counterparts safe, DogBot can be deployed to clean up work areas and pick up and return tools – so that crews can return to a clear and secure work environment.
But DogBot’s abilities span beyond safety tasks, offering a solution to the near 80 percent of construction companies that are seeing a drought in talent available to fill a surplus of specific positions, according to a recent survey conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America in partnership with Autodesk. In creating DogBot, React Robotics’ intention was to offer a “tool” that allows professionals to work more efficiently by letting DogBot fill the gaps.
In short, DogBot increases overall productivity on the construction site through better understanding of the as-built status – closing the feedback loop between what has been built and the decision about what to build next and reducing the amount of time and resources wasted on a job site.
The level of complex and heavy data required to teach DogBot how to do everything – from walking and navigation to understanding how to execute tasks – requires an intense amount of computing power. For this, React Robotics depends on a wide range of Lenovo hardware, such as our AI workstation configuration for the ThinkStation P920 and the ThinkPad P1 mobile workstation.
Equipped with powerful NVIDIA Quadro RTX GPUs with AI Tensor cores, the ThinkStation P920 serves as React Robotics’ data compilation system, performing demanding machine and deep learning workflows, and enabling them to extract intelligence quickly and dramatically transform the proficiency of their work. While this process once took days, Lenovo’s hardware solutions have enabled React Robotics to see results almost instantaneously – allowing for more immediate adjustments and trials within a testing environment to ultimately reduce time to market. Meanwhile, the ThinkPad P1 works behind the scenes with DogBot offering the on-the-go power and performance needed to both program and deploy the robot.
“It’s really important that we work with partners like Lenovo – they share our vision for taking technology out into the world,” said Gregory Epps, CEO of React Robotics.
It’s really important that we work with partners like Lenovo – they share our vision for taking technology out into the world.
With robots like DogBot supporting construction professionals in the field, it’s clear that AI will only continue to impact the workplace – and not only in construction, but across industries. Lenovo is proud to support organizations like React Robotics that are changing the way we work through the use of innovative technology like AI.
To learn more about React Robotics’ partnership with Lenovo and see DogBot in action, check out the video below.
Lenovo is also excited to join professionals this week at Autodesk University as they experience what’s next in their field, connect with their professional community and explore the future of making things. We’re looking forward to showcasing some groundbreaking visionaries’ work this year. Attendees can learn more about Lenovo’s work with React Robotics and DogBot through experiences in our booth and an interactive DogBot feature area. We’ll also be showcasing the work of leading architectural visualization firm, Neoscape, and VR and XR manufacturer, Varjo. We hope to see you there!