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�ȵ���� consultancy McKinsey Global issued a harsh outlook for the construction industry in their , a message that may sound familiar.

“The construction industry has wrestled with both rising demand and shrinking labour capacity. Productivity has stagnated, and the situation could soon worsen: Many workers are nearing retirement, and fewer young people are entering the field because of safety concerns, uncertainty about future prospects and the physical intensity of construction work.”

McKinsey suggests more robotics on the worksite could be a solution.

It’s not as though efforts haven’t been made. In fact, according to BuiltWorlds’ , “Contractors, owners, and tech providers alike are exploring how robotics for tasks like layout, drilling and/or material transport, when combined with connected equipment and data-driven decision-making, can create a more efficient, responsive and scalable construction environment.”��

Examples of single purpose robotic machinery can be seen across the construction spectrum. Automated, programmable excavation machinery has become increasingly popular, for example. Robotic devices can build brick walls and install drywall. Robot arms and devices in offsite building factories perform a number of assembly line functions.

Mobile robotic devices like Boston Dynamics’ are capable of navigating construction sites independently, collecting data and performing some basic physical tasks.

However, most robotic devices today are expensive and task-specific. Perhaps for those reasons, deployment of robotics in construction has been limited. What McKinsey would like to see are, “general purpose robots which can perform diverse, unrelated tasks across multiple settings.” Such devices could solve the ever-changing riddles of a complex, messy and disruptive construction site.

“If you want a robot to be useful on the jobsite, it needs to manoeuvre and work independently,” Finnish construction innovation agent Aarni Heiskanen. “The robot must react to changing conditions, avoid collisions with humans and objects, and have some reasoning capabilities.”

As recently as a couple of years ago, such intelligent mobile robotics roaming the worksite carrying, lifting or performing programmable installation tasks might have been something from a science fiction movie. However, Heiskanen says the rapid development of AI is making them a near-term reality.

It should not come as a complete surprise that Chinese technology companies are leading the way.

In November, Beijing-based���� for Bumi, its child-sized humanoid robot, selling 500 units within the first two days at a price of about US$1,400 each. The device has built-in RGB cameras that capture colour images, an IMU (inertial measurement unit), microphones that can process spoken words into actions and commands, force sensors and ultrasonic sensors (sound-based distance sensors).

Although Bumi has been developed initially for home and educational use, it could be the breakthrough the construction industry has been looking for — a two-legged humanoid device that is affordable and programmable.

Bumi, as currently available, is unlikely to be capable of heavy lifting, the machine demonstrates to Heiskanen that it will be software, not hardware, that will give robots the autonomy and adaptability to meet the demands of construction work.

For widespread scaling of robotics to be feasible, the McKinsey report suggests the cost per unit must fall from today’s $150,000 to $500,000 price tag to between $20,000 and $50,000.

“In the construction industry, their cost must fall to a point where humanoids are competitive with local labour.”

From this perspective, Bumi shows what might be possible.

China has a head start developing humanoid robotics but is not alone.

“Right now, it’s really the U.S. versus China,” Jeff Cardenas, co-founder and CEO of U.S. robotics start-up Apptronik. “It feels like there’s a new Chinese humanoid company every week.”

Apptronik was founded in 2016, a spin-out from the Human Centered Robotics Lab at the University of Texas. It has already raised over $300 million of a planned $500 million in hopes of catching up with the Chinese. More funding may be in the works.

Even the Russians are involved, indicating the high level of global interest in humanoid robots and how quickly they may burst onto the scene. However, during its first appearance in Moscow last month, Russia’s humanoid robot with integrated AI capabilities did not perform as smoothly as Bumi. It tripped on stage and ended up face down on the ground. ��

Aside from capital cost commitments, McKinsey points out the construction industry will need to upgrade the connectivity and digital infrastructure of worksites in order for robots to operate safely and effectively.

“Onsite automation is particularly difficult… with changing workplace layouts, numerous machines and people in motion, and high safety risk.”

It also warns legal and regulatory guidelines will need to be developed to govern humanoid use.“But construction leaders should begin preparing for humanoid deployment now,” McKinsey says. “Recent technological advances suggest the possibility of an accelerated timeline.”

John Bleasby is a freelance writer. Send comments and Inside Innovation column ideas to editor@dailycommercialnews.com.