Safecrobot: Virtual reality immersive safety training environment for robotised and automated construction sites

Project details

Full project title: Safecrobot: Virtual reality immersive safety training environment for robotised and automated construction sites  

Duration: 2020-2023

Funded by: Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union

Project team:

• Dr Abdul-Majeed Mahamadu (project lead)
• Associate Professor Farid Dailami (Bristol Robotics Lab)
• Professor Lamine Mahdjoubi
• Professor Paul Olomolaiye
• Dr Patrick Manu

Project partners:

• CTM - Centro Tecnologico del Marmol

• Piedra y Materiales (Spain)

• Bildungszentren des Baugewerbes e.V. (Germany)

• Wrocław University of Science and Technology (Poland)

Project summary

Advanced robotic systems are becoming commonplace on construction sites including increasing use of autonomous and semi-autonomous equipment. However, construction still requires high degree of human involvement thus creating working environment with high interaction between workers and machinery including these autonomous and semi-autonomous machines. As a result of these developments, the EU commission of Safety and Health has forecast that one of the greatest occupational safety risks will emanate from Machine-Human-Interactions (MHI) in the near future.

In order to address this, the Safecrobot project will investigate the risks associated with automation and advanced machinery use in construction environments then develop innovative training system for safe MHI based on Virtual Reality (VR). This VR application will help impart construction workers with essential knowledge and skills for interacting with advanced machinery and autonomous equipment in construction environments across Europe.