From Blueprints to Bots: Civ Robotics Revolutionizes Construction Layout at Trimble Dimensions Conference

LAS VEGAS — Among the world’s top construction tech innovators gathered at the 2024 Trimble Dimensions Conference, Civ Robotics stood out with a groundbreaking approach to site layout and surveying. Founded by civil engineer Tom Yeshurun, the company is blazing a new path for the construction industry by automating a vital but often painstaking process: marking precise points on large-scale project sites. Yeshurun’s journey, from his own frustrations on construction sites to creating a fleet of autonomous robots, highlights a unique story of problem-solving and engineering vision.

CivDot

The concept for Civ Robotics was born when Yeshurun, then a civil engineer on a multimillion-dollar road construction project, became frustrated with the cost and complexity of surveying. “I was building a road and spent about $5 million on surveying work. And they made mistakes. We all do; we’re human after all,” he recalled. He found himself wishing for a tool that could take the human element out of layout work, ensuring speed and accuracy without the constant back-and-forth with survey crews. “I used drones at some points to do photogrammetry, and that was great,” Yeshurun said. “But I thought, what if I had a robot to just do the layout for me?” This inspiration laid the foundation for what would become Civ Robotics.

Fast forward five years, and Civ Robotics now fields nearly 100 robots actively transforming construction sites. At the heart of its offerings is the CivDot, an autonomous, all-terrain robot equipped to handle rough, uneven ground common in heavy civil construction. This rugged four-wheel-drive machine navigates difficult terrains, marking survey points with millimeter accuracy on sand, mud, and rocky surfaces, where traditional methods often falter. For smoother and flatter sites like highways and airport runways, Civ Robotics developed the Swift Mini, a lighter, compact version optimized for asphalt, concrete, and compacted soil.

Together, these robots are rewriting the rules of site layout. Where traditional teams mark around 100-300 points per day, CivDot and CivDot Minican each handle up to 2,000 points daily under optimal conditions. “Surveying is a crucial part of every construction site,” Yeshurun explained. “But it’s still done manually, with crews walking around with handheld GPS receivers. Our robots allow customers to mark thousands of points a day with incredible precision.” By removing human error, the robots ensure that even large-scale projects, from wind farms to highway overpasses, have accurate, real-scale blueprints marked directly onto the site.

Civ Robotics’ approach also addresses several pressing industry needs. The construction sector is notorious for its tight schedules, cost overruns, and risks to worker safety. Civ Robotics’ robots can slash the time it takes to complete layout tasks while reducing the need for surveyors on active construction sites. “Less boots on the ground means fewer people interfacing with the field, which makes it safer,” Yeshurun noted. By automating this traditionally manual process, the company helps reduce workplace accidents and injuries.

Moreover, Civ Robotics’ technology enables contractors to meet increasingly stringent sustainability standards. By eliminating the need for paper blueprints and by aiding in the construction of renewable energy projects, Civ Robotics supports a greener approach to construction. The company has deployed its robots on wind farms and solar power sites, where accurate layouts and timelines are critical, especially in remote areas where skilled labor is harder to find. “We’re seeing a lot of demand for our robots in renewable energy because it’s challenging to find field talent for remote job sites,” Yeshurun shared.

Civ Robotics’ technological edge lies not only in its hardware but also in its software, which integrates easily with industry-standard construction management systems. The robots accept data through commonly used formats like CSV for points and DXF for lines, making it simple for contractors to export layouts directly from existing surveying and GIS software. “We’re very open in our data integration. We want our customers to be successful,” Yeshurun explained. Civ Robotics also enables features like automated cut-and-fill calculations, continuous topographic mapping, and even the creation of complex shapes like curves and dashes on-site.

The company’s path to growth has involved more than just innovation; it’s also about effective partnerships. Civ Robotics initially sold its robots directly in the U.S., but to support expansion, it has been developing partnerships with distributors abroad. They now have partners in the Middle East and Australia, with plans to establish more in Europe. “We’re here at Trimble Dimensions talking to Trimble dealers to sell our product and promote it. These partnerships will be crucial as we look to expand globally,” Yeshurun said.

Customer feedback has been central to Civ Robotics’ success, allowing the company to continually improve its product. Some of the top-tier contractors, including companies like Beal Morrison and Celkey, have adopted Civ Robotics technology extensively. “We have customers with as many as 15 robots on site, and it’s great to see how they’re using our technology and giving us feedback to make it even better,” Yeshurun noted. The result is a more robust product, with features built around the needs of the construction community, from site calibration to email-based topographic reporting.

With nearly 100 robots currently deployed and a strong roadmap for future expansion, Civ Robotics is on track to become a cornerstone of modern construction technology. The company’s website and YouTube channel showcase videos of CivDot and Swift Mini in action, providing an inside look at how these machines are revolutionizing on-site layout.

Yeshurun’s closing thoughts reflect both confidence and humility. “The industry is using our technology, improving it with feedback, and, ultimately, making our robots a standard tool on construction sites around the world,” he said. At Trimble Dimensions, where attendees can watch the robots operate in real-time at Trimble’s offsite demo area, Civ Robotics has taken another step forward, demonstrating how innovative, autonomous technology can transform one of the world’s oldest and largest industries.

Tags: autonomous layout robots, Civ Robotics, construction technology, renewable energy construction, site surveying automation, Trimble Dimensions

Categories: Civ Robotics, Trimble

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 20th, 2024 at 6:25 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.