Ekso Bionics has been making exoskeletons since 2005. Originally designed with the military in mind, but then later shifted to physical therapy. In more recent years, they have begun targeting more physical professions, especially those with repetitive tasks or a lot of lifting. One of their most recent products is called the EksoVest.
The EksoVest is an upperbody vest designed to elevate and support a worker’s arms for tasks at chest heights and above. Through the use of springs, it provides up to 15 pounds of lift assistance per arm. That’s enough to make most power tools feel like nothing.
One of the best parts about the system is that it’s all mechanical, so it doesn’t need a power source to operate. Just strap in on and go to work. Weighing in at only 9.5 pounds, it should light enough to wear comfortable all day.
There are so many construction applications that this technology seems like a real win, including overhead drilling, grinding, chipping, running conduit, refrigeration and plumbing lines, and even just lifting.
Currently, UK contractor Willmott Dixon is trialing the EksoVest on a new school development in Cardiff, Wales. According to Willmott Dixon, they are the first company in the industry to trial the new tech. According to the article linked above, the vest costs about 5,650 Pound, which is over $7,000 US.
The Ford Motor Company is also partnering with Ekso Bionics to test the vest in their manufacturing plants. The original test included two US plants and the company plans to expand the use of the vest to other regions, including Europe and South America.
Check out this video of how the vest would work on a construction site:
Last summer, Hilti announced that they had developed their first exoskeleton designed for construction tradespeople in a partnership with Ottobuck, a prosthetics, orthotics, and exoskeleton provider. Earlier this month, Hilti officially released the exoskeleton, announced more details, and published its retail price on their website.
Cat Phones is known to make some pretty rugged smartphones, the kind of phone you don’t have to worry about on the jobsite – even without a case. Licensed by the construction equipment giant, Caterpillar, the phones are made by the UK-based Bullitt Group. The company recently announced the release of their new flagship smartphone model, the CAT S62 Pro.
The construction technology world has been no stranger to acquisitions and mergers in recent years, as many larger players are gobbling up startups and other specialty software to quickly grow their offerings and expand their value to their customers. The latest acquisition comes from a somewhat surprising source, however, as Stanley Black & Decker, the power tool and storage company, has acquired Buildup, a task management, punch list, and inspection software company.
Father’s Day 2021 is June 20, so you better get started on gift ideas if you want to impress dad this year. Whether your father is contractor, handyman, or DIYer, we’ve got a lot of great ideas for him this year.
For more more gift ideas, be sure to check out our past Father's Day Gift Guides from 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 or our Ultimate Construction Holiday Gift Guides from 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020
Procore, the construction management software company, has been rumored to be interested in filing for an IPO since at least 2019. In the Spring of 2020, Procore ended up delaying its plans to go public after it received $150million in funding and a valuation of around $5 million, citing interest in raising more money amidst an uncertain economy during the heart of the coronavirus pandemic.
It’s that time again to begin Construction Junkie’s annual search for the best construction podcast! Now in our 7th year of the competition, we’re noticing a considerable increase in construction-related podcasts from every sector.
While still new in the construction industries, robots are typically designed to perform a specific task in a highly precise and efficient way, like the rebar tying robot, Tybot or the brick-laying robot Hadrian X. More recently, though, robots are being imagined as platforms for 3rd party companies to develop hardware and accessories to attach to the base robot, like the Boston Dynamics robotic dog, Spot. I recently came across a new robot, called Baubot, which hopes to one day perform tasks using every tool on a typical jobsite.
Autodesk announced the impending release of 3 new products, combining the best of all of their existing products and adding new features, at last year’s virtual Autodesk University. Those products (Build, Takeoff, and BIM Collaborate) are now fully available on a global scale, with Takeoff being the most recent release.
Last summer, we learned that Travelers Insurance believed that using Procore as a project management tool helped contractors reduce risk on their projects so much that they were willing to help pay for them to join the platform. That deal was previously limited to customers in 10 US states, but Travelers and Procore have collaborated to further expand that program.
In the midst of fierce discourse over the bipartisan infrastructure bill lies a unique opportunity for the United States.