Robot workers for extreme environments

Autonomous robots handle dangerous tasks in construction, mining, and more

Spotted: The construction industry is facing a critical challenge: a shrinking, ageing workforce and increasing safety concerns. At the same time, the industry needs to increase its productivity to meet growing demand, creating a pressing need for more efficient, safer solutions. Enter Optimotive, a US robotics company with a fleet of autonomous robots designed for extreme outdoor environments.

These robots, called Mule and Scrubbles, aim to automate and streamline the most dangerous and most mundane tasks across construction, mining, and oil and gas. Mule is geared towards automating the handling of materials, and is able to transport heavy loads across unpredictable terrains. Scrubbles, on the other hand, focuses on site cleanup, taking over the repetitive and often hazardous task of clearing debris. Both robots are designed to withstand dusty, muddy, and otherwise unpredictable outdoor conditions.

These new models will supplement the existing Iris robot, which specialises in the capture of large-scale site data such as 3D images and photos for building modelling, and Box, a hub for autonomous robot operations and data uploads. In this way, Optimotive is building an ecosystem of robots to enhance safety and productivity on industrial job sites. 

Outdoor automation is a sector often overlooked by other robotics companies. As Scott Fairley, Founder and CEO at Optimotive told Springwise, “Automation exists everywhere indoors (…) This is not the case when we think of the built world (…) but this is due to a lack of capable and available tools”. Patrick Thompson, Optimotive’s Head of Growth, further explained that the “goal at Optimotive is to create those tools that can be used, abused and scaled for the built world.” This approach to tackling the harsher conditions could also open up new possibilities for industries like renewable energy too. 

Last month, Optimotive raised $2 million in seed funding to launch its new robot models and the startup is now set up to deliver on early-year pre-orders and accelerate the deployment of its robot range. Having already secured partnerships with major players like Ellis Don and Borea, the company’s robot technology is proving its value on real job sites.

Written By: Oscar Williams