Artificial Intelligence in Construction Equipment

By Gari Nickson
How is artificial intelligence (AI) being used to make construction equipment safer and more
efficient? Construction has always been a dangerous business and not always the most efficient.
With heavy machinery involved, often uneven terrain, constant activity and the risk of human
error, the threat of danger is never far away. And despite the ever-increasing focus on health and
safety and use of technology on jobsites, there are still plenty of fatalities.

In the U.S., the number of deaths on site has risen 34 percent since 2010. In Japan around 300
deaths and more than 15,000 injuries were recorded in 2016, as reported by the Japan
Construction Occupational Safety and Health Association. In the U.K., however, things are
improving. By the end of March 2017, fatalities had reached all all-time low. Nevertheless, there
were still 30 deaths on building sites in the 12 months, which is still well over the all-industry
average of 0.43. But one death is one too many.

However, thanks to AI, companies are realizing the benefits that machines can bring, tackling
not only health and safety issues in construction, but making work more efficient. The industry
appears particularly well-suited to being able to be improved by the wonders of AI.

One interesting example is a tie-up between Japan’s Komatsu, one of the world’s largest
manufacturers of construction and mining equipment, and U.S. tech company NVIDIA. The two
firms are working together to use NVIDIA’s graphics processing units - essentially intelligent
cameras - to visualize and analyze entire construction sites.

Komatsu will create 3D images of sites, revealing the real time movement of machinery, people
and objects. Equipment onsite can also be monitored to make sure it is utilized with optimum
efficiency.

Technology called SkyCatch will allow drones to map and gather 3D representations for
visualizing the terrain at the edge. OPTiM (Iot management-software firm) will also offer an
application to recognize machinery and workers collected from surveillance cameras.

The centerpiece of the tie-up is NVIDIA’s Jetson. Working alongside cloud technology, this
platform will power cameras on construction equipment to allow 360-degree views, meaning
machines and people nearby can be seen to avoid collisions and possible accidents. The cameras
will also recognize fast-changing conditions and inform workers in cabs to act accordingly.

In the future, other applications planned include virtual simulations and high-resolution
rendering of construction sites as well as automated machinery control.

Elsewhere, construction firms are also taking advantage of new AI technology to help avoid
potential accidents. Arup and Skanska are among the companies using a video and photo
platform called smartvid.io. This technology implements AI to sort through large amounts of
videos and images captured on construction sites to identity possible hazards.
Now this is the clever bit: the software utilizes algorithms of image recognition to spot particular
search criteria such as safety vests, hi-vis colors and hard hats so it can uncover images that will
highlight workers who aren’t kitted out in the correct safety gear or acting against regulations.

In the space of minutes, results are collated, collected and sent to a site manager. This may feel a
bit Big Brother-like for workers on the jobsite. But for a manager it’s a dream, as it’s a job that
could normally take hours to do.

In a similar vein, Swedish firm Volvo Construction Equipment is also looking at new
technologies to boost the workers safety on building sites. The company is building AI
algorithms that decipher and detect particular objects using computer vision techniques. The
system then transmits a warning to the operator in order to cut the hazard of a potential accident.

AI has plenty of other benefits, such as performing repetitive, mundane and often dangerous
jobs. “AI techniques can help inexperienced machine operators to carry out complex tasks,
which they otherwise could not. It’s advantageous in an industry that’s finding it increasingly
difficult to source highly skilled and experienced operators,” says Dr. Fares Beainy, machine
intelligence program leader at Volvo Construction Equipment.

Indeed, speculation is mounting that autonomous equipment in heavy industry could become
much more common well before self-driving cars are widely adopted.

Currently full automation is generally only used for heavy good vehicles that must make
repetitive movements, such as hauling ore. So what are the reasons that autonomous vehicles
could become more common? A key reason relates to productivity, very much a business buzz
word at the moment, but particularly in the construction industry. Operating heavy equipment
means employing somebody with specialist skills, whether it be controlling a crane or an
industrial earth-moving vehicle. These types of skills are not always easy to find and as such can
be costly. Therefore firms are likely to be open to the idea of adopting autonomous vehicles for
this type of work. A second reason is that clearly self-driving cars will have plenty of obstacles
to navigate, be it a distracted pedestrian, a stray cat or confusing traffic lights. However, on a
building site there are clearly are less unpredictable obstacles, so an autonomous vehicle would
have less to cope with.

All these developments reveal that construction is ripe for embracing the latest opportunities that
AI offers when it comes to improving how equipment is used. It helps firms and industry tackles
fears around health and safety and boost productivity - a real win-win scenario.
Written by Gari Nickson - CoFounder, GenieBelt Gari Nickson is an expert in the application of
artificial intelligence in construction. He’s an entrepreneur, co-founder of GenieBelt,
intelligentconstruction.ai and adviser to Contractor Freedom.
Our construction team

Mike Karlins
Construction Practice Leader
Mike is an audit partner based in The Woodlands office and has
more than 30 years’ experience in audit services, agreed-upon
procedures, financial services, operational improvement and
mergers and acquisitions. He also has extensive experience in a
variety of financial reporting engagements for private companies in a
wide range of industries including construction, manufacturing, oil
field services and distribution. Mike serves as the Campaign
Treasurer for Brady for Congress and Brady Victory Fund . He is the
secretary/ treasurer for Construction Industry CPAs/ Consultants
Association (CICPAC) and a member of the tax and legislative
committee for Construction Financial Management Association
(CFMA). Mike has served has Chairman of the Board for both The
Woodlands Area Economic Development Partnership and The
Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce. Mike is also a Certified
Public Accountant and earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting
from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Lori Morales
Tax Partner
Lori is a tax partner in our Houston office and has nearly 20 years of
experience in public accounting. She works with companies in a variety of
industries including energy, manufacturing, real estate, construction, and
professional services. Lori’s primary focus is on helping family-owned,
middle-market companies navigate the intricacies of federal and state tax
compliance and assisting them with all manner of business tax consulting
from tax planning to ownership succession as well as business expansion,
mergers and acquisitions, and more. Prior to joining Calvetti Ferguson, Lori
worked with a renewable energy start-up company, assisting them with all
aspects of accounting, finance, and business development. She is a
Certified Public Accountant, member of CFMA, and earned her Bachelor of
Science in Accounting from the University of Missouri – St. Louis.

Ken Sibley
Tax Partner
Ken is the Partner in charge of the Dallas office of Calvetti Ferguson and
has more than 30 years in the public accounting industry. He is experienced
in audit, tax and consulting with clients in planning, internal control, fraud
prevention and litigation matters. Prior to joining Calvetti Ferguson, he was
the founding member of Sibley & Company, P.C., which merged into a
national firm in 2011. Ken is a Certified Public Accountant and earned a
Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of
North Texas. He is also a member of CFMA, Certified Fraud Examiner, as
well as certified in Financial Forensics.

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Our construction team

Sarita Akin
Tax Senior Manager
Sarita is a tax senior manager and has more than 25 years of
experience in public accounting and industry. She has advised
clients in the oil and gas industry, family-owned businesses and the
individuals who own them, multi-state corporations and benefit
plans. Sarita’s expertise is in the preparation of individual,
partnership, fiduciary, estate and corporate tax returns. She is a
Certified Public Accountant and earned a Bachelor of Business
Administration in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin.
Sarita is the sub-committee chairperson of the Finance Committee
for the San Antonio Livestock Exposition and Go Rodeo Roundup
and a member of CFMA.

Scott Contreras
Audit Manager
Scott is an audit manager and has nearly 10 years of experience in
public accounting. His clients operate in the oil and gas, construction
and retail, and manufacturing and distribution industries. He also has
extensive experience auditing employee benefit plans. Scott is a
Certified Public Accountant, member of CFMA, and earned a
Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Accounting from Sam
Houston State University.

Kyle Kmiec
Tax Manager
Kyle is a manager in the tax practice and has over eight years of
experience in public accounting. His focus is on partnership,
corporate, real estate, and personal income taxation. Kyle is a
Certified Public Accountant, member of CFMA, and earned a Master
of Business Administration in Accounting from Midwestern State
University.