Pocket Queries and Konoike Group Innovate Tunnel Excavation Safety with Robotics
In a groundbreaking collaboration, Pocket Queries, based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, and Konoike Group, located in Chuo, Osaka, have embarked on an ambitious project aimed at reshaping safety protocols in tunnel excavation. This initiative focuses on deploying quadrupedal robots to replace manual observation tasks typically performed by skilled workers at the vulnerable cutting face of tunneling operations. As excavations involve high risks of collapse and falling debris, the advent of robotic monitoring systems promises to enhance safety and efficiency significantly.
Tunnel excavation sites are notoriously hazardous, with a continuous threat of collapses and rock falls, particularly during the critical phase of spraying concrete and stabilizing the site. Observational tasks in these high-risk areas require extended periods in dangerous zones, posing substantial safety risks to workers. Furthermore, these tasks demand specialized expertise that is becoming increasingly rare, leading to a growing labor shortage and difficulties in passing down essential knowledge from senior workers to newcomers.
Recognizing these challenges, Pocket Queries aims to safeguard workers' lives by substituting high-risk observations with automatic robotic systems. This transformation not only aims to protect human resources but also facilitates the safe digital preservation of skilled workers' insights and experiences.
The project's primary objectives include addressing the labor shortage in civil engineering, enhancing worksite safety, and ensuring the sustainable transfer of on-site expertise. Through these initiatives, the partners aspire to meet critical social challenges within the construction sector.
Currently under consideration is a quadrupedal robotic system integrated with a variety of sensors such as LiDAR, cameras, and IMUs. This robotic unit is engineered to autonomously traverse work sites while conducting real-time observations. By stepping into hazardous areas, these robots can photograph, scan, and document conditions, allowing remote personnel to access accurate data without the need for lengthy exposure in perilous zones.
As the project progresses, Pocket Queries and Konoike Group plan to conduct field trials to fine-tune the performance of the robots. This entails improving their mobility and observational accuracy while ensuring they can operate stably under challenging site conditions. Additional functionalities will be developed and optimized based on the specific demands of these environments.
Looking forward, the practical application of these advanced robotic systems in actual tunnel excavation projects will pave the way for a safer construction industry. With ongoing collaboration between Pocket Queries and Konoike Group, the focus will remain on refining the robots' utility and performance, ultimately establishing a new standard for safety in the field.
Pocket Queries aims to address the pressing issue of labor shortages faced by frontline workers in the construction industry through the development of various DX tools aimed at skill inheritance, labor reduction, and multi-skilled training. Their innovations leverage generative AI technology for practical verification and implementation in robotics, IoT applications, and virtual reality. Located at the Tokyo Opera City Tower in Nishi-Shinjuku, Tokyo, the company is led by CEO Nobuhiko Sasaki. For further details, visit their website at Pocket Queries.
Background and Challenges
Tunnel excavation sites are notoriously hazardous, with a continuous threat of collapses and rock falls, particularly during the critical phase of spraying concrete and stabilizing the site. Observational tasks in these high-risk areas require extended periods in dangerous zones, posing substantial safety risks to workers. Furthermore, these tasks demand specialized expertise that is becoming increasingly rare, leading to a growing labor shortage and difficulties in passing down essential knowledge from senior workers to newcomers.
Recognizing these challenges, Pocket Queries aims to safeguard workers' lives by substituting high-risk observations with automatic robotic systems. This transformation not only aims to protect human resources but also facilitates the safe digital preservation of skilled workers' insights and experiences.
The project's primary objectives include addressing the labor shortage in civil engineering, enhancing worksite safety, and ensuring the sustainable transfer of on-site expertise. Through these initiatives, the partners aspire to meet critical social challenges within the construction sector.
Project Development
Currently under consideration is a quadrupedal robotic system integrated with a variety of sensors such as LiDAR, cameras, and IMUs. This robotic unit is engineered to autonomously traverse work sites while conducting real-time observations. By stepping into hazardous areas, these robots can photograph, scan, and document conditions, allowing remote personnel to access accurate data without the need for lengthy exposure in perilous zones.
As the project progresses, Pocket Queries and Konoike Group plan to conduct field trials to fine-tune the performance of the robots. This entails improving their mobility and observational accuracy while ensuring they can operate stably under challenging site conditions. Additional functionalities will be developed and optimized based on the specific demands of these environments.
Future Prospects
Looking forward, the practical application of these advanced robotic systems in actual tunnel excavation projects will pave the way for a safer construction industry. With ongoing collaboration between Pocket Queries and Konoike Group, the focus will remain on refining the robots' utility and performance, ultimately establishing a new standard for safety in the field.
About Pocket Queries
Pocket Queries aims to address the pressing issue of labor shortages faced by frontline workers in the construction industry through the development of various DX tools aimed at skill inheritance, labor reduction, and multi-skilled training. Their innovations leverage generative AI technology for practical verification and implementation in robotics, IoT applications, and virtual reality. Located at the Tokyo Opera City Tower in Nishi-Shinjuku, Tokyo, the company is led by CEO Nobuhiko Sasaki. For further details, visit their website at Pocket Queries.
Topics Business Technology）
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