Tools & Supplies

Doosan Bobcat Bets on AI to Tackle Job Site Inefficiencies

Firm wants to help equipment operators to maximise their productivity.

Updated on

November 21, 2018

Doosan Bobcat North America is betting on artificial intelligence (AI) for its future construction equipment as the heavy machinery maker seeks to boost efficiency on the job site.

The U.S. and Canadian unit of Doosan Bobcat Inc., has partnered with SafeAI – a Silicon Valley startup – to explore how AI technologies can be amalgamated into Bobcat equipment.

Through this partnership, SafeAI will demonstrate how its AI technologies, Deep Neural Network (DNN), and Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) can be used to perceive environments around construction equipment and provide auto-control.

“Through our partnership with SafeAI, we hope to work toward our ultimate goal of enabling our customers to work more efficiently on the job site,” Joel Honeyman, VP of global innovation Doosan Bobcat North America said in a press statement.

Maximise productivity

The partnership is part of Doosan Bobcat North America’s initiative to identify forward-looking solutions to help construction equipment operators to maximise their productivity.

Bibhrajit Halder, chief executive and co-founder of SafeAI said his company is “building a safe, AI-enabled autonomous platform for the equipment industry.”

The partnership comes at a time when the construction industry is increasingly turning to AI as a means to make job sites safer and more efficient.

Secure construction sites

Japanese equipment giant Komatsu recently signed a deal with California-based Nvidia and two others to deploy an Artificial Intelligence (AI) computing platform in the heavy machinery industry in a bid to improve efficiency and make construction sites safer.

The partnership also involves OPTiM, a management software firm, which will provide an app to identify individuals and machinery collected from surveillance cameras, and SkyCatch, which will provide drones to gather and map 3D images for visualizing the terrain at the edge.

According to the deal, Komatsu will integrate Nvidia’s AI platform – a credit card-sized device designed to drive robots and drones – which will serve as the brain of heavy machinery, thereby improving efficiency and worker safety on site.

Movement of workers

SkyCatch’s drone views and pictures captured through cameras mounted on Komatsu’s heavy equipment will be processed with Nvidia’s deep learning-based AI, enabling the firm to track the movement of workers and equipment, thus minimising the chances of fatal accidents.

Through robotics, construction managers can utilise intelligent machines that can perform tedious tasks that were once completed by humans, such as bricklaying.

On the other hand, AI systems can gather and organise information for engineers to use within project planning and design implementation.