Researchers in Switzerland have trained an excavator to build dry stone walls by itself, reducing manual labour and demonstrating the benefits of automation in construction.
A team from ETH Zurich has developed an autonomous excavator – known as HEAP, or Hydraulic Excavator for an Autonomous Purpose – that is capable of using a variety of stones, recycled concrete, and similar materials to build dry stone structures such as walls. HEAP is a modified Menzi Muck M545 12-ton excavator fitted out for autonomous operation and advanced teleoperation. The excavator also features novel force-controllable hydraulic cylinders in the chassis that allow it to adapt to any terrain.
Key to the autonomous operation of the machine is a variety of sensors, including LIDAR, IMU, GNSS, and others. Those sensors feed data about the machine’s movement and surroundings to a planning algorithm and custom software, which gives the excavator the ability to work autonomously on structures such as walls.
Dry stone structures are more energy efficient and use fewer materials than traditional concrete, making them more environmentally friendly. They are also easily deconstructed if needed, reducing the need for recycling when structures are removed.
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