China Housing Industry Expo, special zone for construction robots
Takenaka Corporation (President: Masato Sasaki), Kudan (CEO and Representative Director: Dayu Xiang), JIZAIE (CEO and Representative Director: Junki Nakagawa), Asratec (President and Representative Director: Masato Sakutani), Light (President and Representative Director: Yuki Noro) and Sensyn Robotics (President and CEO: Takuya Kitamura) have jointly launched research and development of a software development platform for construction robots. This R&D task is implemented under the “Post-5G Information and Communication System Basic Reinforcement Research and Development Project / Software Development Foundation Construction in the Robotics Field (Commissioned)” project by NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) in Japan.
This R&D will establish an open development platform that allows various robots used in construction sites (such as transport robots, fireproof spraying robots, measurement robots, cleaning robots, etc.) to freely combine and utilize common functional modules. This will enable robot manufacturers and system integrators to freely add and expand functional modules, helping to address the shortage of skilled workers in the construction industry and promote the application of construction robots.
Japan’s Construction Robot Transformation (RX) Alliance Annual Meeting 2025
Development Background
Due to the aging of skilled workers, the construction industry is facing a serious shortage of technical workers, and there are high hopes that robot transformation (RX) technology can help solve this problem. However, currently, each supplier is developing its own robots, leading to challenges such as lack of compatibility and high development costs.
It is urgent to establish an open development platform to address these issues, based on the knowledge accumulated through the activities of the Construction Robot Transformation (RX) Alliance (which has over 300 participating companies as of the end of August 2025).
Development Overview
The software development foundation in the field of construction robots will be built through the following six R&D projects.
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Design and construction of the overall architecture (Takenaka Corporation), designing an architecture that covers everything from robotic mechanical components to software, and constructing a universal architecture for robots from different manufacturers.
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Software function development (Kudan), including technology that allows robots to accurately determine their position and move automatically even in constantly changing construction sites, and systems for multiple robots to work together efficiently to perform tasks.
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Hardware function development (JIZAIE), including a universal mobile unit capable of handling multiple tasks, and standardized structures for easy installation and replacement of sensors and control devices.
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Communication environment construction (Asratec), a stable communication system that combines various communication methods such as 5G, Wi-Fi, and Mesh communication, capable of flexibly responding to changes in the construction site environment (such as the addition or removal of obstacles).
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Virtual space pre-validation technology (Light), accurately reproducing the actual construction site on a computer to test the robot’s actions in advance. Simulation of a real working environment in collaboration with building blueprints (BIM/CIM).
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Operational support management tools (Sensyn Robotics), a management system that can centrally monitor and control multiple robots, with a universal operating interface for robots from different manufacturers.
Future Outlook
This R&D aims to reduce the development and operational costs of robotic systems. In addition, the R&D consortium will collaborate with the “Digital Robot System Technology Infrastructure Construction Project” to demonstrate the practicality of this technology by using multiple robotic systems. The future goal is to expand the platform established in the construction industry to other industries, contributing to strengthening the international competitiveness of Japan’s robotics industry.