Shimizu Corporation Launches Full-Scale Development of "AI Robots"

Shimizu Corporation（President: Tatsuya Shimmura）has initiated a project to implement AI robots（Physical AI）at construction sites, aiming to address labor shortages while enhancing productivity and safety. The company has begun full-scale field trials, targeting the practical application of humanoid robots for site inspections and robotic arms for painting tasks.

"Physical AI" is a collective term for AI technologies that perceive real-world conditions through cameras and sensors to adaptively control robots and mechanical systems. A prime example is the AI robot, which possesses the ability to perform tasks through physical actions while adapting to the ever-changing environments of the real world.

For the construction industry, which faces critical labor shortages, AI robots represent a key solution. Unlike conventional robots used in construction—which were often specialized machines limited to pre-programmed, repetitive motions—AI robots can function as versatile machines capable of performing multiple tasks.

Given the nature of construction sites, where environments change daily and manual labor remains predominant, Shimizu has focused on "humanoid robots" for their high potential to effectively substitute human tasks. The company is already conducting trials with humanoid robots that autonomously navigate sites while holding cameras, as well as robotic arms that learn painting tasks by imitating human workers.

In a recent trial conducted at the Tokiwabashi Project（official name）, a humanoid robot autonomously navigated the site at a speed of 1.0 m/s while holding a camera. It followed a pre-designated route while sensing and judging the real-world conditions of the site. The company is also exploring ways to streamline management tasks（site inspections）by analyzing the footage captured by the robot using AI technology powered by multimodal Large Language Models（LLMs）.

The practical application of Physical AI in construction, including the development and implementation of humanoid robots, requires the establishment of a construction-specific AI ecosystem. This involves a continuous cycle of data collection and analysis, simulation, AI model construction, and implementation（field testing）. Furthermore, the modeling and archiving of skilled techniques—conducted as part of this ecosystem development—are expected to facilitate the transfer of advanced Japanese construction skills amidst the aging of the skilled workforce.Moving forward, Shimizu aims to expand the scope of robotization in construction by building this specialized AI ecosystem.

To solve the common industry challenge of future labor shortages, the company is committed to leading the practical application of AI robots in the construction sector, with technical cooperation from partners such as Sony Corporation.