Meet Hadrian X, the Robot Bricklayer Disrupting Construction
- By Lachlan Colquhoun
- April 22, 2024
There seems to be an ever-increasing number of solutions and products which are available “as a service.”
Years ago, we started with software and then moved to infrastructure. For some time now, the technology industry has been talking about "everything as a service."
One new addition, which hasn't quite received the same amount of attention, is the idea of "walls as a service."
In this case, yes, we are talking about physical walls, such as the walls of a building.
Australia isn’t globally known for its robotics industry. In fact, it ranked 28th on the global league table for robotics adoption in 2022, up from 35th in 2018.
Industry group Robotics Australia Group points out that while the world average population density is 113 for every 10,000 employees, that figure is only 75 in Australia. In Singapore, it is 918.
World first
Despite this, there have been some leading applications of robotics in Australia, one of which comes from the Perth-based company FBR.
Here is where “walls as a service” comes in. The ASX-listed company has developed a robotic bricklaying system, which, after just over five years of development, has culminated in the Hadrian X system. The system is now being sold worldwide through a network of global partnerships.
“This is not science fiction; we are creating this incredible future for ourselves.”
Hailed as the world’s first mobile robotic bricklaying machine, Hadrian X can lay 300 blocks an hour with US-format cement blocks. Working from a 3D CAD model, it produces less waste than traditional construction methods while also improving site safety.
At this pace, it is claimed that Hadrian X can build the walls of an average-sized house in as little as a day.
The proof of concept was achieved in 2021 when Hadrian X constructed an entire Childcare Centre in Perth using aerated concrete and calcium silicon blocks. Five homes were then built in Perth's suburbs.
This was impressive enough for FBR to sign deals to build up to 5000 homes in Mexico, ink a contract with the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and sign agreements to take Hadrian X to the U.S.
FBE is a bright light in Australian robotics. While the industry matures, it has some distance to make up with global leaders.
Needs momentum
The Robotics Australia Group (RAG), which comprises around 800 members across 45 or so companies, is realistic about the task ahead.
"Our industry has momentum, and that is exciting, but in some ways, we are being left behind,” says Nicci Rossouw, chief executive at RAG.
There are some positive signs.
When RAG published its industry roadmap for the first time in 2018, it estimated Australian industry revenue to be AUD12 billion. By the time the roadmap was republished in 2022, that figure had grown to AUD18 billion. A new roadmap is being compiled, which is expected to show further growth.
“Our industry is immature, which is fair enough because robotics is an emerging technology,” says Rossouw.
“But we’ve identified that the industry is fragmented, so the role an industry association can play is to be a peak body representing everybody’s interests and bring academia, government and industry together.”
Mining leader
One bright spot is in the mining industry, where global corporates BHP and Rio Tinto are leading the way in using autonomous technology in major projects in Western Australia.
“You need to keep in mind that Australia is behind in terms of manufacturing industry, but what we really excel at is mining, so we are leaders in using autonomous vehicles in that industry,” says Rossouw.
"Our ecosystem is maturing, and I think we hold our own anywhere in the world with technology, but the biggest issue we have is funding through the venture capital industry."
Construction, where FBR has led the way, is also maturing. The first-ever Australian Construction Robotics Forum was held in Sydney in March 2024 in partnership with RAG and construction company Laing O’Rourke.
Other applications include using drones to inspect remote infrastructure or in precision farming applications, where they can perform tasks such as planting and seeding.
While many drones are imported, there is a major opportunity in software development that could lead to new and innovative drone applications.
Australia said Rossouw has around 2,500 registered drone companies, and their use is "exploding."
"I was talking to one of our network members, and he was talking about the use of drones at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics," she said.
“We could have assisted aerial vehicles which would pick up people and drop them off like mini helicopters. This is not science fiction; we are creating this incredible future for ourselves.”
Another growth area is "urban robots," which will share Australian footpaths and deliver everything from food to medical supplies.
“We are not just talking about the delivery of pizzas,” says Rossouw. “They could be delivering medicine and doing really valuable lifesaving work.”
“This isn’t something that has been deployed in Australia yet, but it is coming. In a few years, this will be integrated into our daily lives,” she added.
Image credit: iStockphoto/chepkoelena