[imagesource: Fastbrick Robotics]

I have a love/hate relationship with robots.

On the one hand, there’s the Boston Dynamics robot dog that was deployed to help out in the fight against COVID-19. I can’t complain about that.

That same ‘dog’, however, is also creepy as hell, evident in videos of it hunting herding sheep in New Zealand. 

No thanks.

It’s just one AI advancement away from herding us and I’m not keen on that eventuality.

Now that not even sheepdogs are safe, I think we can all accept the idea that the robots are indeed coming for our jobs.

The latest victim? Bricklayers, thanks to Fastbrick Robotics (FBR) and The Hadrian X.

According to the FBR website, The Hadrian X is:

…a unique construction robot mounted into a classic cab over engine truck to easily transport it to and from a location for on-site building.

The robot component could also be mounted onto other bases such as tracks, barges, boats and cranes to bring this unique capability to a range of environments.

The Hadrian X uses FBR’s Dynamic Stabilisation Technology to measure movement caused by wind, vibration, and inertia.

It counteracts it in real-time using advanced algorithms to provide unprecedented precision.

The unique control system uses CAD (computer-aided design) to create a 3D model of the building design, which is then used to calculate the materials list and tell Hadrian X what to build — all with precision.

The system uses bricks specifically designed for the robot.

They are approximately 12 times bigger than standard house bricks and are lighter, stronger and designed to minimise waste.

The blocks are fused together using a special adhesive, which bonds in just 45 minutes, holds stronger and results in greater thermal and acoustic properties than traditional mortar. No more lost days waiting for mortar to dry.

Mark Pivac, Chief Technical Officer at FBR, tells you a bit about how The Hadrian X operates:

Here’s Pivac again with more footage of The Hadrian X in action:

The unions aren’t going to be pleased about this one.

[source:FBR]