SBIR Phase II: Semi-Automated Masonry (SAM) Robotic System

该小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目将专注于开发商业可行的机器人半自动机器人（SAM）系统。 该SAM系统将通过使用自动化显著提高砖墙施工的效率和吞吐量，从而彻底改变建筑行业。 SAM系统将出租或出售给砖石工程承包商。 正在开发的核心技术结合了专有的传感、控制系统和砂浆分配，以实现计算机辅助设计（CAD）驱动的高度精确的自动化砌砖能力。 第二阶段项目将侧重于开发和整合该系统的关键技术组成部分。 第二阶段赠款的主要技术目标是（1）完全集成砂浆泵送和测量系统，（2）在所有施工现场条件下实现砖的放置精度，（3）开发CAD到砖映射软件，以及（4）准备产品的商业可行性。 此外，我们将进行多项实地示范，以证明商业可行性。 该项目将扩展商业机器人的范围，并扩大整个建筑行业的可能性范围。 在第二阶段项目期间，将继续开发许多新技术，以便从原型到测试，并最终进入商业就绪状态。 该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是一项革新砖石建筑行业的技术。 SAM机器人系统将提供许多重大的社会效益，包括更可预测和可靠的工作，减少对泥瓦匠的体力要求，降低成本和更多的设计灵活性，以使用砖。 通过减少对泥瓦匠的身体要求和增加技术的使用，它将提供显着的健康益处，有效地延长老年泥瓦匠的工作寿命，并吸引年轻的泥瓦匠进入该行业。 砖基建筑在全球和美国经济中占很大比例，所有国内砌体工程花费超过200亿美元，仅商业砖砌体就花费超过50亿美元。 该SAM系统提供的效率显著提高将使砖砌体更经济实惠。 这可能会导致制砖行业的增长，从而带来许多环境和客户利益，如能源和资源节约。 通过世界上第一个机器人半自动砌筑系统的商业化，该项目将有助于扩大行业的能力，振兴砌筑行业。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will focus on the development of a commercially-viable robotic Semi-Automated Masonry (SAM) system. This SAM system will revolutionize the construction industry by significantly increasing the efficiency and throughput of brick wall construction using automation. The SAM system will be leased or sold to masonry contractors. The core technology being developed incorporates proprietary sensing, control systems, and mortar dispensing to achieve computer aided design (CAD)-driven, highly accurate automated bricklaying capability. The Phase II project will focus on developing and integrating key technical components of the system. The main technical objectives for the Phase II grant are to (1) fully integrate a mortar pumping and measurement system, (2) achieve brick placement accuracy during all jobsite conditions, (3) develop CAD to brick mapping software, and (4) to prepare the product for commercial viability. In addition, we will perform a number of site demonstrations to prove commercial viability. This project will stretch the bounds of commercial robotics as well as expand the scope of possibilities across the construction industry. Many new technologies will continue to be developed during the Phase II project in order to progress from prototyping to testing, and eventually commercial readiness. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is a technology to revolutionize the masonry construction industry. The SAM robotic system will provide many significant societal benefits including more predictable and reliable work, less physical demand on masons, lower costs and more design flexibility for the use of brick. By reducing the physical demands on the mason and increasing the use of technology, it will provide significant health benefits, effectively increasing the work life of older masons and attracting younger masons to the industry. Brick-based construction represents a significant portion of the global and U.S. economies, with over $20 billion spent on all domestic masonry work, and over $5 billion spent on commercial brick masonry alone. The significant increase in efficiency provided by this SAM system will make brick masonry more affordable. This could potentially lead to growth of the brick industry, resulting in many environmental and customer benefits such as energy and resource conservation. Through commercialization of the world's first robotic Semi-Automated masonry system, this project will help to expand the capability of an industry and revitalize the masonry trade.