The robotics experts at ETH Zurich have developed an autonomous excavator, known as HEAP (Hydraulic Excavator for an Autonomous Purpose), that utilizes advanced AI to tackle high-skill tasks without the need for human intervention.
Traditionally, tasks like dry stone wall construction have been labor-intensive, requiring hours of skilled labor. However, with the development of autonomous robots like HEAP, these tasks could soon be completed with minimal human involvement.
HEAP is a modified Menzi Muck M545 excavator designed for autonomous operations. It features electrically-driven hydraulics, an advanced boom arm equipped with draw wire encoders, LiDAR, Leica iCON site-mapping technology, and a Rototilt “wrist” that resembles a high-precision robotic arm.
Despite its advanced capabilities, the ETH researchers acknowledge that HEAP is currently slower than human excavator operators in terms of placement speed. However, unlike human operators, HEAP does not require physical reference markers or additional personnel for guidance, making it a self-sufficient solution for complex construction tasks.
According to the researchers, HEAP can build complex nonplanar global surface geometries without the need for skilled operators or additional supporting materials, providing a full digital twin of the built structure for improved accountability and future reuse.
The completed project, a 215-foot long, 20-foot high retaining wall, can be seen at Circularity Park in Oberglatt, Switzerland. This demonstration illustrates the potential of autonomous equipment to handle tasks with irregularly-shaped materials, potentially freeing up skilled operators for more critical tasks where their expertise is most needed.
