Built Robotics

{{Infobox company

| name = Built Robotics, Inc.

| logo = Built Wordmark.svg

| logo_size = 250px

| type = Private

| industry = Robotics

| founded = 2016

| founders = Noah Ready-Campbell, Andrew Liang

| hq_location_city = San Francisco, California

| products = Fully autonomous construction equipment

| num_employees = 11-50 employees

| homepage = [http://www.builtrobotics.com builtrobotics.com]

}}

Built Robotics Inc. is a San Francisco, California, based vehicular automation startup that develops software and hardware to automate construction equipment. The company was founded in San Francisco in 2016 by Noah Ready-Campbell and Andrew Liang.{{cite news|last1=Gershgorn|first1=Dave|date=October 19, 2017|title=Construction is as far from a Silicon Valley darling as you can get—and that's why it's ready for automation|work=Quartz|publisher=Uzabase|url=https://qz.com/1106909/construction-is-the-next-industry-hit-by-automation-and-thats-good/|accessdate=21 November 2018|ref=quartz}} The company's primary product is the "Exosystem", an aftermarket kit that adds autonomous robotic capabilities onto existing heavy equipment through a combination of GPS, cameras, and artificial intelligence technology.{{cite news|last1=Berreby|first1=David|date=August 18, 2020|title=The robot revolution has arrived|work=National Geographic|url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2020/09/the-robot-revolution-has-arrived-feature/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200818112505/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2020/09/the-robot-revolution-has-arrived-feature/|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 18, 2020|accessdate=22 November 2020}}

Technology

= Exosystem =

The Exosystem began development in 2018 and was first brought to market in 2021. The technology is marketed as a means to enable autonomous excavation, earthmoving, and pile driving.

The Exosystem is installed on the tail of excavators. The company claims the Exosystem can be installed on machinery from Caterpillar, Hitachi, John Deere, Volvo, and other major manufacturers. The Exosystem advertises itself as consisting of an all-weather enclosure that houses the hardware and software needed to enable autonomous operation. Additional sensors such as cameras, GPS, and IMUs are mounted at various points on the piece of heavy equipment.{{Cite web |title=Exosystem™. The World’s First Fully Autonomous Upgrade for Heavy… |url=https://www.builtrobotics.com/technology/exosystem |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=Built Robotics}}

The Exosystem controls the heavy equipment through the electric-over-hydraulic (EH) systems for autonomous operation or remote control. The Exosystem can be turned off, which allows the heavy equipment to be manually operated by a person inside the cab.

As with factory robots, human robotic operators, referred to by Built as "Robot Equipment Operators" (REOs), must still start the system's initial operation before autonomous activities take control. REOs use a proprietary web-based platform, Everest, to supervise and control the robot. The REO can switch from autonomous to remote control mode, which allows an operator to move the robot through a remote interface.File:Built Robotics Everest.jpg

= RPD 35 =

File:2023 03 03 RPD Video Shoot.jpg

Built Robotics entered the utility-scale solar market in 2023 with the announcement of a new product called the RPD 35, or Robotic Pile Driver. The RPD 35 is advertised by the company as an excavator-based robot that can automate multiple steps in the solar piling process.{{Cite web |last=Wessling |first=Brianna |date=2023-03-15 |title=Built Robotics develops autonomous solar piling robot |url=https://www.therobotreport.com/built-robotics-develops-autonomous-solar-piling-robot/ |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=The Robot Report}} The company claims that the robot can autonomously perform surveying of pile locations, distribution of piles, driving of piles, and generation of as-builts. Built utilizes a modified Caterpillar 335 by adding various main components: an Exosystem, pile-carrying sleds, and a custom-engineered hammer.{{Cite web |title=North American Clean Energy September/October 2023 Issue |url=https://issuu.com/northamericancleanenergy/docs/nace_sepoct2023-web/1 |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=issuu}}

History

File:ATL-74R Built Robotics.jpg

= Proof of Concept =

Built Robotics began attracting attention in 2018 as one of several new companies bringing automation to the construction industry, which had been relatively slow to adopt technical innovations compared to related industries.{{cite news|last1=Chea|first1=Terence|date=March 19, 2018|title=Productivity boost? Robots break new ground in the construction industry|work=USA Today|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/careers/employment-trends/2018/03/19/productivity-boost-robots-break-new-ground-construction-industry/437334002/|accessdate=November 22, 2020}} Commentators noted that a dearth of skilled workers available to fill construction and heavy equipment operator positions,{{cite magazine|last1=Simonite|first1=Tom|date=March 10, 2020|title=Construction Workers Embrace the Robots That Do Their Jobs|magazine=Wired|publisher=Wired.com|url=https://www.wired.com/story/construction-workers-embrace-robots-do-their-jobs/|accessdate=November 22, 2020|ref=zdnet}} coupled with a need for infrastructure renewal and housing,{{Cite web|date=2018-04-22|title=Could this new tech help us build more houses?|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/04/22/could-self-driving-bulldozers-other-equipment-help-fix-our-housing-shortage/|access-date=2020-11-22|website=The Mercury News}} were likely driving forces behind the industry's adoption of new technologies.

Built Robotics claims to be the first of these companies to commercially deploy fully autonomous heavy equipment{{Cite web|title=Built Robotics releases 1st fully autonomous construction machinery in US|url=https://www.constructiondive.com/news/built-robotics-releases-1st-fully-autonomous-construction-machinery-in-us/573057/|access-date=2020-11-22|website=Construction Dive}} in construction settings.{{Cite web|date=2018-04-02|title=Autonomous Vehicles May Become More Common at Construction Sites|url=https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2018/04/02/autonomous-vehicles-construction-sites/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403074357/http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2018/04/02/autonomous-vehicles-construction-sites/ |archive-date=2018-04-03 |access-date=2020-11-22|website=CBS Local}} Founder Ready-Campbell, a former Google product manager who studied software engineering and had previously founded another startup, Twice, got his inspiration for Built Robotics from his father, who worked as a carpenter.{{cite news|last1=Levy|first1=Ari|date=October 19, 2017|title=This ex-Googler is bringing self-driving excavators to construction sites|work=CNBC|publisher=CNBC LLC|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/18/built-robotics-raises-15-million-from-nea-for-autonomous-construction.html|accessdate=21 November 2018|ref=CNBC}}

= AI Guidance System =

The company's first product was called the "AI Guidance System", which began development in 2016 and was first brought to market in 2018. The technology was marketed as a solution in the excavation and grading to enable skid-steers, CTLs, excavators, and bulldozers to function autonomously.{{Cite web|last=Nichols|first=Greg|title=Retrofit: The $15.5 trillion industry undergoing a robotic remodel|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/retrofit-the-15-5-trillion-industry-undergoing-a-robotic-remodel/|access-date=2020-11-22|website=ZDNet}}{{Cite web|last=Hawkins|first=Andrew J.|date=2017-10-19|title=Watch this autonomous bulldozer excavate dirt without a human operator|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/19/16502868/built-robotics-autonomous-bulldozer-excavation-google|access-date=2020-11-22|website=The Verge}}

The company started out by expanding its market to other business areas on the functionality that the AI Guidance System can be installed on different types of existing construction equipment, including dozers and skid-steers in addition to excavators.{{Cite web |last=Group |first=Marisa Kendall {{!}} Bay Area News |date=2018-04-22 |title=Could this new tech help us build more houses? |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/04/22/could-self-driving-bulldozers-other-equipment-help-fix-our-housing-shortage/ |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=The Mercury News}}{{Cite web |title=Built Robotics releases 1st fully autonomous construction machinery in US |url=https://www.constructiondive.com/news/built-robotics-releases-1st-fully-autonomous-construction-machinery-in-us/573057/ |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=Construction Dive}} Built initially focused their AI system on heavy civil, wind, energy, residential housing, solar, and utility work. In 2023, Built narrowed their focus on the solar industry by developing a pile driving robot for utility-scale solar projects.{{Cite web |last=Wishart-Smith |first=Heather |title=Built Robotics Unveils Autonomous Pile Driving Robot, Expediting Solar Rollout |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/heatherwishartsmith/2023/03/20/built-robotics-unveils-autonomous-pile-driving-robot-expediting-solar-rollout/ |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=Forbes}}

Company

= Financing =

Built Robotics is currently a Series C startup company, having been financed through three rounds of fundraising from private venture capital funds. The company has raised a combined total of US$112 million through its Series A, Series B, and Series C financings. Investors who have contributed to the financings include Tiger Global, Next47, NEA, Founders Fund, Building Ventures, Presidio Ventures, Lemnos, and other investors. Notable advisors of the company include Carl Bass, Jeff Immelt, and Justin Kan.{{Cite web|title=About – Built Robotics|url=https://www.builtrobotics.com/about/|access-date=2020-11-22|website=builtrobotics.com}}

= Patents =

Built Robotics has a number of patents issued by the US Patent and Trademark office, including "Excavating earth from a dig site using an excavation vehicle;”{{Cite patent|title=Excavating earth from a dig site using an excavation vehicle|gdate=2018-01-22|country=US|number=10801177|assign=Built Robotics Inc.|inventor1-last=Ready-Campbell|inventor1-first=Noah Austen|inventor2-last=Liang|inventor2-first=Andrew Xiao|inventor3-last=Chou|inventor3-first=Linus Page|inventor4=Edward Stephen Walker, Jr.;Christian John Wawrzonek;Cyrus McMann Ready-Campbell}} "Obstacle detection and manipulation by a vehicle within a dig site;”{{Cite patent|title=Obstacle detection and manipulation by a vehicle within a dig site|gdate=2018-06-01|country=US|number=10761537|assign=Built Robotics Inc.|inventor1-last=Ready-Campbell|inventor1-first=Noah Austen|inventor2-last=Liang|inventor2-first=Andrew Xiao|inventor3-last=Wawrzonek|inventor3-first=Christian John|inventor4=Cyrus McMann Ready-Campbell;Gaurav Jitendra Kikani}} and "Checking volume in an excavation tool".{{Cite patent|title=Checking volume in an excavation tool|gdate=2018-01-22|country=US|number=10662613|assign=Built Robotics Inc.|inventor1-last=Ready-Campbell|inventor1-first=Noah Austen|inventor2-last=Liang|inventor2-first=Andrew Xiao|inventor3-last=Chou|inventor3-first=Linus Page|inventor4=Edward Stephen Walker, Jr.;Christian John Wawrzonek;Cyrus McMann Ready-Campbell}}

= Markets =

The technology developed by Built has been deployed on job sites in multiple US states,{{Cite web|title=Robots Are Poised To Transform The Construction Industry|url=https://www.bisnow.com/houston/news/construction-development/robots-are-poised-to-transform-the-construction-industry-103213|access-date=2020-11-22|website=Bisnow}} which do not require regulatory approval for autonomous equipment used on non-public roads. In March 2020, the company announced that it would be expanding internationally with the onboarding of its first Australian client, MPC Kinetic.{{Cite web|date=2020-03-12|title=Autonomous excavators on site in Queensland|url=https://civil.i-q.net.au/main/autonomous-excavators-on-site|access-date=2020-11-22|website=Industry Queensland}} Notable customers and business partners include Black & Veatch, MPC Kinetic, Mortenson, and Sunstate.{{Cite web|title=Built Robotics Announces International Expansion, Partnership with Leading Australian Contractor MPC Kinetic {{!}} RoboticsTomorrow|url=https://roboticstomorrow.com/news/2020/03/12/built-robotics-announces-international-expansion-partnership-with-leading-australian-contractor-mpc-kinetic/15032|access-date=2020-11-22|website=roboticstomorrow.com}}

= Labor Relations =

In March 2020, the International Union of Operating Engineers announced a formal partnership with Built Robotics through which the union will train its members to use the Built Robotics automation platform, citing a steady growth rate in jobs for heavy equipment operators coupled with an industry-wide shortage of workers.

In 2023, Built renewed their partnership with the IUOE, extending their strategic partnership through 2026. James Callahan, general president of the IUOE, stated,'' Our partnership with Built has and continues to receive very positive feedback, and we are excited to renew this agreement to provide our over 400,000 members with the advanced training that keeps them at the forefront of the industry".{{Cite web |date=2023-03-08 |title=International Union of Operating Engineers and Built Robotics renew training partnership |url=https://roboticsandautomationnews.com/2023/03/08/international-union-of-operating-engineers-and-built-robotics-renew-training-partnership/60697/ |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=Robotics & Automation News}}

= Roin Technologies =

In 2023, Built robotics acquired Roin Technologies, a company claiming to be the makers of the first automated concrete power trowel.{{Cite web |last=Robotics |first=Built |title=Built Robotics Acquires Y Combinator-Backed Roin Technologies to Expand beyond Autonomous Earthmoving |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/built-robotics-acquires-y-combinator-backed-roin-technologies-to-expand-beyond-autonomous-earthmoving-301729257.html |access-date=2023-10-16 |agency=PR Newswire}} Roin Technology focused on automating tasks within the concrete industry. Jim Delaney, Founder and CEO of Roin Technologies, joined the company. In the company's announcement, it was stated that the technologies underlying Roin's automated power trowel and shotcrete robot would be integrated into Built's software and hardware systems.