The system uses mounted cameras and computer vision to keep projects on track

Graham Hope

August 3, 2020

2 Min Read

The system uses mounted cameras and computer vision to keep projects on track

A company aspiring to revolutionize construction by applying artificial intelligence has secured $13 million in Series A funding.

Buildots, based in the UK and Israel, aims to reduce the waste in major construction projects by using AI to collect, track, and analyze data which is currently recorded manually.

Cameras with 360-degree view are mounted on hard-hats during site walks to record every detail of an ongoing project. This data is then used to create a digital twin of the site that can be compared to the design model.

Staying on schedule

Using the video data, the Buildots control center app can help managers stay up to date with the progress of the project. The company says deviations from the schedule, partially completed tasks, and incorrect installations can be flagged instantly.

The level of detail captured is impressive; Buildots claims that the system can, for example, identify electrical sockets that are just centimeters away from where they were originally intended to be.

Specific elements of a project – such as the electrics or the plumbing – can be tracked individually, allowing managers to identify particular trades that may be falling behind schedule.

By eliminating the massively time-consuming practice of collecting site data manually, which can see project managers trying to keep track of hundreds of thousands of tasks, the construction industry will be able to address the problem of big projects going over budget.

According to management consultant McKinsey, 98 percent of ‘megaprojects’ suffer cost overruns of more than 30 percent; 77 percent are at least 40 percent late.

It estimates that improved productivity has the potential to contribute $1.6 trillion of added value to the sector.

Roy Danon, CEO of Buildots, said: “In the short time since we started rolling out our product, the immense value it brings to the industry has become clear. Any efficient process must have proper controls in place, but till now, automatic process control has been impossible to implement in construction.

“Thanks to the latest advancements in the fields of AI and computer vision, we’ve been able to bring modern systems that are ubiquitous in other industries, to construction.”

Founded in 2018, Buildots employs 35 people and plans to launch its product in the US in the next 12 months, having already made its European debut.

The $3 million seed and $13 million Series A rounds were led by TLV Partners and included Innogy Ventures and Tidhar Construction Group.

Keep up with the ever-evolving AI landscape
Unlock exclusive AI content by subscribing to our newsletter!!

You May Also Like