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Compact robots already transport bricks, apply mortar, and erect walls in real construction sites in Europe, bringing artificial intelligence to a repetitive stage of civil construction and altering the routine of construction sites without completely displacing human professionals.
Small, electric robots guided by artificial intelligence are already used on construction sites in Europe to transport bricks, apply mortar, and build real walls, as part of an attempt to automate repetitive tasks in traditional civil construction.
Developed by Monumental, an Amsterdam startup founded in 2021 by Salar al Khafaji and Sebastiaan Visser, the technology was presented by the company as a solution to work alongside human professionals, without turning the construction site into an isolated factory.
Instead of giant machines or fixed structures, the company works with compact robots, capable of navigating tight areas, passing through doors, and being transported in a van, a feature that allows use in common construction sites and spaces with limited access.
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Mason robots use AI to automate masonry
The equipment consists of autonomous ground vehicles, also known as AGVs, integrated with the Atrium software, a platform used by Monumental to coordinate construction tasks and organize the operation of machines in the construction site environment.
To handle bricks and mortar, the robots combine sensors, computer vision, small cranes, and control systems, resources that allow movement, material positioning, and repetition of planned movements during masonry execution.
According to Monumental, the robots can lay bricks and apply mortar on industrial and residential walls with precision, accuracy, and efficiency comparable to humans, a statement that is part of the company’s commercial presentation of the technology.
In practice, automation takes over part of the physical wall cycle, while workers remain involved in preparation, supply, monitoring execution, and verifying the final quality delivered on site.
This division occurs because construction has less predictable conditions than an industrial assembly line, as each project involves its own access, land, climate, interferences, materials, and schedules.
For this reason, Monumental’s initial focus is on bricklaying, with machines specialized in a specific, repetitive task historically associated with continuous physical effort.
Technology is already erecting real facades in the Netherlands
The company claims that its robots have already been used in pilot projects in the Netherlands and completed, in 2023, a 15-meter facade for an office and warehouse building.
After this project, the technology was also applied in other projects, including social housing, according to information released by Monumental and publications specialized in construction and robotics.
The startup also reports that its machines have already built house facades, canal retaining walls, and other structures that remain standing in the Netherlands, as well as working in partnerships with construction companies on real masonry projects.
The operation model prevents the construction company from needing to purchase the equipment, as Monumental acts as a subcontractor, bringing the robots to the site and executing the automated stage within the contracted project.
With this format, the contracting company does not take on the purchase, maintenance, and validation of the robots alone, while the startup can test, adjust, and expand the operation in real construction environments.
The strategy also shows that the robots were not presented as humanoids or complete substitutes for construction teams, but as mobile, specialized machines designed to work alongside professionals.
Million-dollar investment aims for expansion across Europe
On February 15, 2024, Monumental announced a funding round of US$ 25 million, led by Plural and Hummingbird, with participation from Northzone, Foundamental, NP-Hard Ventures, Material Ventures, and angel investors.
According to the company’s statement, the funds will be used to expand the team, increase the number of robots on sites across Europe, and expand the types of blocks and tasks the equipment can perform.
The company attributes its progress to three industry pressures: lack of skilled labor, rising costs, and the need to increase productivity, especially in European markets pressured by housing demand.
In the investment announcement, Monumental stated that more than half of European countries faced a severe shortage of skilled masonry workers and cited the United Kingdom as an example of a significant professional deficit.
Even with the funding round and projects already announced, the adoption of robots in construction depends on factors such as service cost, adaptation to local materials, building regulations, team training, and acceptance by construction companies.
Automation changes the routine of bricklayers on-site
The arrival of these robots alters the traditional role of the bricklayer who lays bricks throughout the day, as part of the repetitive effort is now performed by automated vehicles on-site.
According to available data, this change does not mean the immediate disappearance of masonry professionals, as Monumental’s proposal still relies on human presence in preparation, organization, and verification stages.
With automation, the manual repetition of heavy movements can be reduced, while the need to handle digital equipment, execution planning, and integration between robots and construction teams increases.
This movement occurs in a construction industry that is beginning to bring automation to traditional sites, not just to precast factories or 3D printing systems, while maintaining familiar materials like bricks, blocks, and mortar.
Construction industry tests robots in repetitive tasks
The application of technology combines an ancient construction activity with digital tools, such as sensors, computer vision, AI software, and autonomous vehicles capable of operating in dusty environments, with limited access and interferences.
Monumental still needs to demonstrate, on a larger scale, that its robots can maintain performance, competitive cost, and reliability in different types of construction, in addition to the specific projects already disclosed in Europe.
For now, the presented cases show a concrete application of automation in masonry, with compact robots taking on repetitive tasks, working alongside human professionals, and changing the way walls are built.
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