Current Status of Construction Automation and Robotics in the United States of America

Constructability automation and robotics research and development in the United States is more than a decade old. A number of research institutions, universities, construction equipment manufacturers and construction engineering firms have been involved in these efforts. This paper summarizes the recent American accomplishments and current efforts in several representative areas. It is concluded that the United States research and development community seems to maintain its leadership primarily in construction automation software design and software engineering. However, a more intensive effort and dedication to automation concepts is needed to capitalize on the potential benefits of automation, particularly in the practicing engineering community and among the industry practitioners.