Trimble, Hilti and Boston Dynamics Partner to Explore the Use of Autonomous Robots in Construction

Connecting the Physical and the Digital World for Improved Safety, Productivity and Quality

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Nov 19, 2019, 06:30 ET

SUNNYVALE, Calif. and SCHAAN, Liechtenstein and BOSTON, Nov. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB), Hilti and Boston Dynamics announced today a collaboration to explore the integration of Trimble's and Hilti's construction management software solutions, GNSS technology and reality capture devices with Boston Dynamics' Spot Robot platform.

Autonomous robots can play a significant role in construction, specifically in production and quality control workflows by enabling automation of routine and tedious tasks, reducing workload and improving safety. The companies will collaborate to develop a "proof-of-concept" solution. Equipped with Trimble's and Hilti's reality capture devices as its payload and directly communicating with a cloud-based construction management application, the Boston Dynamics Spot Robot will be able to provide consistent output, deliver improved efficiency on repeatable tasks and enable up-to-date as-built data analysis. The autonomous, terrain-agnostic capabilities support the dynamic nature of the construction environment, enabling the robot to by-pass obstacles and maintain its defined path to support routine tasks such as daily site scans, progress monitoring, asset management and remote support. Multi-directional communication between the robot, Trimble's and Hilti's payloads and the cloud application support a continuous flow of information and closes the loop for the construction environment.

"Utilizing robots for routine tasks in hazardous environments to improve safety, efficiency, and data capture consistency is part of our digital transformation vision," said Aviad Almagor, senior director for Mixed Reality and Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) at Trimble. "We are excited for this latest collaboration and looking forward to the potential integration of our hardware and software solutions with the Boston Dynamics' Spot Robot to enhance field-oriented workflows, reduce amount of rework and facilitate on-site tasks."

"Trimble's and Hilti's domain knowledge, market leadership and technologies are a great fit for our robotic platform," said Michael Perry, vice president of Business Development at Boston Dynamics. "Deploying an integrated solution in the real-world environment doing dirty and dangerous work, before, during and after the construction stage is a common vision for the three companies, which can help drive the transformation of the construction industry."

About Boston Dynamics

Boston Dynamics is a world leader in mobile robots, tackling some of the toughest robotics challenges. The company combines the principles of dynamic control and balance with sophisticated mechanical designs, cutting-edge electronics, and next-generation software for high-performance robots equipped with perception, navigation, and intelligence. Boston Dynamics has an extraordinary and fast-growing technical team of engineers and scientists who seamlessly combine advanced analytical thinking with bold engineering and boots-in-the-mud practicality. For more information: www.bostondynamics.com.

About Hilti Group

The Hilti Group supplies the worldwide construction and energy industries with technologically leading products, systems, software and services. With more than 29,000 team members in over 120 countries the company stands for direct customer relationships, quality and innovation. Hilti generated annual sales of CHF 5.6 billion in 2018. The headquarters of the Hilti Group have been located in Schaan, Liechtenstein, since its founding in 1941. The company is privately owned by the Martin Hilti Family Trust, which ensures its long-term continuity. The Hilti Group's strategic orientation is based on a caring and performance-oriented culture and the goals of creating enthusiastic customers and building a better future. For more information, visit: www.hilti.group.

About Trimble

Trimble is transforming the way the world works by delivering products and services that connect the physical and digital worlds. Core technologies in positioning, modeling, connectivity and data analytics enable customers to improve productivity, quality, safety and sustainability. From purpose-built products to enterprise lifecycle solutions, Trimble software, hardware, and services are transforming industries such as agriculture, construction, geospatial and transportation and logistics. For more information about Trimble (NASDAQ:TRMB), visit: www.trimble.com.

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SOURCE Trimble