If the article is correct, that the robot is parked in a single location and reaches across the building site to place bricks, then it can only be used for unreinforced masonry structures. Perfectly reasonable in West Australia, but not a great idea in places that get earthquakes.
I wonder how much modification it would need to be able to build brick cladding around a timber frame structure.
When I was working for a builder we would show up on-site after the foundation pad had set, and unload pre-nailed frames and trusses from a truck. Stand up and fasten the frames, top-plate and roof trusses. Usually we would put the ceiling battens in at this stage. Another contractor would put the roof on, then we would paper (or tyvek etc) the outside of the house, and install the windows and doors. The soffit under the eaves would go in. Then the brick layers would clad the outside at more or less the same time the plumbers and electricians were doing the pre-wire/pre-plumb.
With the eaves already in place, even a mobile robot is going to have trouble placing the top several rows of bricks.
On the other hand it should be possible to change the build order, in which case the only major change to the brick placing head would be an additional mechanism to install the anchors that attach the bricks to the wooden frame.
I wonder how much modification it would need to be able to build brick cladding around a timber frame structure.
When I was working for a builder we would show up on-site after the foundation pad had set, and unload pre-nailed frames and trusses from a truck. Stand up and fasten the frames, top-plate and roof trusses. Usually we would put the ceiling battens in at this stage. Another contractor would put the roof on, then we would paper (or tyvek etc) the outside of the house, and install the windows and doors. The soffit under the eaves would go in. Then the brick layers would clad the outside at more or less the same time the plumbers and electricians were doing the pre-wire/pre-plumb.
With the eaves already in place, even a mobile robot is going to have trouble placing the top several rows of bricks.
On the other hand it should be possible to change the build order, in which case the only major change to the brick placing head would be an additional mechanism to install the anchors that attach the bricks to the wooden frame.