Keynotes

Advanced robotics, such as dexterous teleoperated and autonomous mobile robotic systems, will revolutionize the way work is accomplished in complex, unstructured settings such as outdoor and subsea applications. These next-generation robotic systems will enable a larger, more diverse pool of workers to enhance output and efficiencies, but work safely in what are often dangerous environments. Kiva Allgood, President and CEO of Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corporation, will discuss her vision of the future of these types of robotic systems, including how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and supervised autonomy will play a significant role. She will also share real world examples and use cases of how advanced robotics systems can improve work across many different industries, such as construction, aviation, solar, maritime/subsea, power utilities, and nondestructive testing.

Robots and autonomous machinery are becoming a prominent feature in the Industrialization of Construction, both in the factory and in the field. While they may offer tremendous gains in design freedom and construction efficiency, they also require new ways of working for architects, builders, and software companies. For almost a decade, the CAD-software provider Autodesk has been exploring the future of designing and construction in a world enabled by robots. In this panel, researchers from Autodesk will discuss challenges and opportunities of factory-based automation, field robotics, and autonomous machinery for the Industrialization of Construction.

In this inspiring and wide-ranging keynote session, Mel Torrie, CEO and Founder of Autonomous Solutions Inc. (ASI), will provide attendees with a first-hand account of the opportunities and challenges delivering field robotics solutions to the marketplace. His story will begin with ASI developing industrial robotic solutions with John Deere 22 years ago in agriculture, landscaping, and construction, and expanding into mining, logistics, and automotive autonomy testing. Attendees will be provided with lessons in adversity, culture creation, robotics development, bootstrapping, fundraising, negotiating with billion-dollar OEMs, and successful autonomy product rollout.

It seems an incongruity that to date the construction industry, estimated exceed over $10 trillion in 2022, has not benefited from robotics automation like some other industries, many of them much smaller than the construction sector. That however, is changing, and fast. In this keynote session, Noah Ready-Campbell, Founder & CEO of Built Robotics, will describe the next major leap in construction technology since hydraulics, namely heavy equipment robotics. He will outline the development of Built’s flagship product, the Exosystem, a heavy equipment aftermarket upgrade that transforms excavators into fully autonomous trenching robots. In addition, we will describe:

· Where construction automation technology stands today.
· How robots are being evaluated and integrated into workflows on construction sites to boost productivity, improve safety, and generate value.
· How robotics will help us meet goals to tackle environmental change, work opportunities, economic growth, and innovation in infrastructure.

Waymo is the world’s leading developer of autonomous driving technology, with public robotaxi services up and running in Phoenix and San Francisco. In this engaging keynote, Thackston will give attendees an inside look at the major technical challenges involved with developing autonomous vehicles. She will also provide updates on recent deployments and what the future holds for autonomous vehicles.