Trends of Research and Development on Construction Robotics Considering the Supporting Technologies and Successful Applications

Although construction robotics has been researched and developed over the past decades and the practical needs keep rising, its application remains limited. This study is aimed at exploring the trends of research and development (R&D) on construction robotics based on a thorough investigation of the numerous existing publications and case studies of successful applications in this field. First, a scientometric review is conducted to identify and discuss the supporting technologies with significant contributions in the field during the past decades and their trends, as well as the hottest ones at present. Then case studies on two Chinese construction companies that developed and applied robotic products successfully are presented to reveal how the supporting technologies were implemented in practices and how the R&D and application were followed up. The hottest supporting technologies at present were found to be computer vision, 3D printing, Building Information Modeling (BIM), and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as their emerging branches including Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), machine learning, and deep learning. Three critical factors were identified for the follow-up of the R&D of construction robotics, i.e., mutual promotion between the R&D and application of construction robot products and the development of supporting technologies, asynchronous development in different application areas, and multidisciplinary cooperation among construction companies and professional technological companies. The findings are expected to be valuable for the related stakeholders including researchers, robot developers, and construction companies to conduct further R&D and application of robotics in the construction industry.