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This Robotic Bricklayer Can Build A House In Two Days

Webster

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Engadget: This Robotic Bricklayer Can Build A House In Two Days

bricker.jpg

For all the modern tools and heavy machinery found on construction sites these days, one aspect has remained a decidedly manual labor: bricklaying. Just as they did 6000 years ago when masonry was first developed, today's bricklayers still perform their backbreaking work almost exclusively by hand. But thanks to Australian engineer, Mark Pivac, that could soon change. Pivac has developed what he claims is the world's first fully automated bricklaying robot, dubbed Hadrian (yes, like the wall).

"We're at a technological nexus where a few different technologies have got to the level where it's now possible to do it," Pivac told PerthNow. "And that's what we've done." The system will first determine the location of every brick to be laid based on a 3D CAD design, then individually cuts and lays the bricks in sequence. Hadrian doesn't even need to move during the laying process as its 28-foot long boom manipulator is dextrous enough to both set the brick and slather on mortar as well. It even leaves space for pipes and wiring.

The machine is reportedly capable of setting 1000 bricks an hour -- roughly a home's exterior frame every two days or about 150 homes a year -- 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Pivac hopes to further develop and then market Hadrian in Western Australia before expanding to the entire country and then the rest of the world.
 
Excellent. Even more people going to be put out of work.
 
Excellent. Even more people going to be put out of work.
I'm of two minds on this one...on the one hand, anytime a new piece of technology arrives, there's always going to be a shakeup of sorts as jobs formerly done by hand are replaced by machinery. OTOH, if one has a choice of (a)hiring x-number of bricklayers to do this kind of work, or (b)purchasing one of these things to do the bricklaying....well, apologies to the bricklayers, but I'll go with the machine.
 
I'm of two minds on this one...on the one hand, anytime a new piece of technology arrives, there's always going to be a shakeup of sorts as jobs formerly done by hand are replaced by machinery. OTOH, if one has a choice of (a)hiring x-number of bricklayers to do this kind of work, or (b)purchasing one of these things to do the bricklaying....well, apologies to the bricklayers, but I'll go with the machine.
It will make building a house cheaper and more efficient for sure - but that's a lot of unemployed tradesmen.
We really need to figure out how people are going to make a living in the future, because there's a lot of unsafe jobs making even the more menial jobs more competitive.

Just look at manufacturing in Australia. It's too expensive here to be sustainable...So a lot of places are going offshore and a lot more people are signing up for unemployment. :(

I have no idea what the answer is, though.
 
It will make building a house cheaper and more efficient for sure - but that's a lot of unemployed tradesmen.
We really need to figure out how people are going to make a living in the future, because there's a lot of unsafe jobs making even the more menial jobs more competitive.

Just look at manufacturing in Australia. It's too expensive here to be sustainable...So a lot of places are going offshore and a lot more people are signing up for unemployment. :(

I have no idea what the answer is, though.
And therein lies the rub; as I said earlier, anytime a new piece of technology comes down the pike, there's always going to be some displacement in the workforce...it always happens. Now, does this mean we have to shelve technology because we're worried about the potential loss of jobs? Or does this mean that we do what we've always done whenever something like this arrives - adapt and progress along.
 
*deadpans* We're having an intelligent conversation here, @identityissues8 .... *looks around and adds w/more deadpan* Liberty, take notes on this, please.. :P
 
And therein lies the rub; as I said earlier, anytime a new piece of technology comes down the pike, there's always going to be some displacement in the workforce...it always happens. Now, does this mean we have to shelve technology because we're worried about the potential loss of jobs? Or does this mean that we do what we've always done whenever something like this arrives - adapt and progress along.
Well of course not, as we are bringing the cost of living down and things that may seem a pipedream for many Australians (home ownership, I can't see myself getting into the market for a long, LONG time) may actually become a possibility.

We can't shelf progress, for sure. But we do need a solution for that fact that not everyone is geared to an IT/Tech based profession. I know I'm surely not, which scares me (thank goodness my wife is in dentistry, as I think that's safe for our lifetime...)

Having children growing up in a world where everything is done by machine though is scary. Especially with this development for my son - as he does seem to be growing to have a more blue collar/tradesman personality than that of a white collar office worker, or a techie.

Who knows. Maybe 'hand-laid bricks' will become a trendy thing and people will keep paying premiums on it..Like organic certification and the paleo diet. :P
 
It will make building a house cheaper and more efficient for sure - but that's a lot of unemployed tradesmen.
We really need to figure out how people are going to make a living in the future, because there's a lot of unsafe jobs making even the more menial jobs more competitive.

Just look at manufacturing in Australia. It's too expensive here to be sustainable...So a lot of places are going offshore and a lot more people are signing up for unemployment. :(

I have no idea what the answer is, though.


Get rid of minimum wages. Have government Stop forcing employers to pay for every benefit under the sun and simply just pay a wage. Stop taxing the hell out of companies that finally puts the nail in the coffin for them to move elsewhere. And then maybe companies would have a reason to stay and also not work so hard to find a means to have no employees but instead robots like posted above.

Anyways, this is fantastic piece of tech. Would love to see some video of it in action and how it lays the mortar before setting the bricks.
 
Sorry, TL. But when your solution is 'screw the workers livelihoods over to a point that they work to only JUST scrape by (IF they're lucky).' your solution can't be called a solution.

It's well known that in your own country there's an endemic number of people of a lower socio-economic class working three jobs to support their family who are still living below the poverty line - and society still sends a message that they're 'lazy' or are 'not trying hard enough' when the reality is the opportunity to a better life was given to those who could afford America's deregulated cost of education, and had such opportunity afforded to them.

In short, I believe in a society of fairness and equality of opportunity. Not where the rich are given the power and the opportunity to succeed is managed by them.

I do not, cannot and will not believe in the working society you outlined in your post and never will, because there are other ways to ensure the welfare of your workers rather than lending yourself to widening the gap between rich and poor and creating an impoverished class to kick around.
 
The Hadrian robot can lay 1,000 bricks per hour to be able to, potentially, build 150 homes a year. It works using computer aided design for the plan then calculates where to lay each brick based on a fixed location. The 28 metre arm then goes to work placing each brick perfectly with mortar adhesive to bind the layers.

Here's a short video

 
Sorry for barging in uninvited, but I just can't resist leaving this here:



:P
 
Sorry, TL. But when your solution is 'screw the workers livelihoods over to a point that they work to only JUST scrape by (IF they're lucky).' your solution can't be called a solution.

No my solution is for people to keep there jobs and still keep a decent wage. Since 1st world countries with fewer regs and no minimum wage have a higher standard of living.

It's well known that in your own country there's an endemic number of people of a lower socio-economic class working three jobs to support their family who are still living below the poverty line - and society still sends a message that they're 'lazy' or are 'not trying hard enough' when the reality is the opportunity to a better life was given to those who could afford America's deregulated cost of education, and had such opportunity afforded to them.

Ya, it is called Obama care forcing employers to go the route of only hiring part time workers. America has become the king of part time thanks to the insane prices that would be forced upon companies. We are prime for robots under Americas new authoritarian government ruling us. Rise machines! Because we are to stupid to do the things to keep businesses from down sizing there employees.

In short, I believe in a society of fairness and equality of opportunity. Not where the rich are given the power and the opportunity to succeed is managed by them.

So do I and government forcing them to take steps to cut out people in the work force is not the route, but it is the route we are going.

I do not, cannot and will not believe in the working society you outlined in your post and never will, because there are other ways to ensure the welfare of your workers rather than lending yourself to widening the gap between rich and poor and creating an impoverished class to kick around.

Widening the gap is exactly what is happening because government thinks it knows what is best over the free market system. And they don't!
 

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Welcome to Offtopix 👋, Visitor

Off Topix is a well-established general discussion forum that originally opened to the public in 2009! We provide a laid-back atmosphere, and our members are down to earth. We have a ton of content, and fresh stuff is constantly being added. We cover all sorts of topics, so there's bound to be something inside to pique your interest. We welcome anyone and everyone to register and become a member of our awesome community.

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