The Development of a Robotic System for Tool Deployment in Hazardous Environments

The factors that need to be present in order to justify the economic use of robotics in construction are listed. A particular prototype robotic device, StarlifterÒ, is described in some detail. A case study is then presented in which a contract to drill over a thousand holes into the underside of a motorway bridge is analysed. It is concluded that, in this particular case, automated methods would probably be more Economic.