DFKI Presents the ShieldBot Scan-to-BIM Pipeline at European Conference on Computing in Construction 2026
ShieldBot participated in the 2026 European Conference on Computing in Construction (EC3), held in Corfu, Greece, on 12-15 July 2026 to present the scientific paper "BIMStruct3D: A Fully Automated Hybrid Learning Scan-to-BIM Pipeline with Integrated Topology Refinement", co-authored by several researchers from our partners DFKI and RPTU.
As part of the conference programme, Mahdi Chamseddine, Researcher at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence, or Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Künstliche Intelligenz (DFKI), represented ShieldBot during the session "Scan-to-BIM", chaired by André Borrmann, Professor at Technische Universität München (Technical University of Munich), focusing on generating digital asset representations from scans, inspections and existing infrastructure records.
Mahdi presented the paper, also co-authored by Fabian Kaufmann, Marius Schellen, Christian Glock, Didier Stricker and Jason Rambach, offering an overview of the ShieldBot research on fully automated Scan-to-BIM pipeline capable of generating IFC-compliant Building Information Models (BIM) from 3D point clouds.
The proposed hybrid approach combines learning-based semantic segmentation with topology-aware geometric reconstruction to accurately model structural elements. The paper also introduces vIoU, a new voxel-based evaluation metric for holistic comparison of reconstructed and ground-truth BIM models, and presents the German Hospital (DeKH) dataset, featuring high-resolution point clouds, semantic annotations and ground-truth BIMs. Experimental results demonstrated significant improvements over traditional RANSAC-based methods, highlighting the robustness and scalability of the proposed solution.
The session was attended by around 40 participants, including researchers, academics and construction professionals from across Europe and beyond to discuss the latest advances in digital construction, Building Information Modelling (BIM), artificial intelligence and automation.
Reflecting on the event, Mahdi Chamseddine, Researcher at DFKI, highlighted:
"The conference offered valuable publicity for ShieldBot, and an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas with fellow researchers that will be beneficial for our future deliverables."
2026 EC3: European Conference on Computing in Construction
The 2026 European Conference on Computing in Construction (2026 EC3) is the premier European conference for information, communication and technological research, innovation and policy for the construction sector as a whole in Europe. It is the annual meeting organised by the European Council for Computing in Construction, with the purpose of bringing together researchers, practitioners and construction industry professionals from around Europe to meet and share information about the latest developments in all aspects related to computing in construction.
https://youtu.be/GEUhd9X8IcM?si=b7qOjW_qPnH3YPMY
ShieldBot Work Package Leaders Meet in Kaiserslautern to Shape the Next Project Phase
On the 2nd of July 2026, the ShieldBot consortium gathered at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) in Kaiserslautern, Germany, for its work package leaders meeting.
Hosted by Jason Rambach, Research Group Leader in AI Perception at DFKI, the meeting brought together project partners to review progress across the different work packages, discuss technical and administrative developments, and align priorities for the next phase of ShieldBot, starting its second year in November 2026.
Addressing ShieldBot’s Challenges to Maximise Impact in Construction
Jason opened the meeting welcoming all participants to the Institute, and provided a brief introduction to DFKI's research activities.
The morning session focused on project coordination and management activities. Partners reviewed the overall work plan, milestones, deliverables, and administrative matters. A key part of the discussions centred on the challenges identified during the first months of the project and the refinement of the suggested adaptations in the robotic solutions.
The ShieldBot team also revisited the industry requirements proposed by Bouygues Construction, as well as the key performance indicators (KPIs), to ensure that our robotic solutions meet the end-users needs ultimately, enhancing the impact of the project within the construction sector.
ShieldBot's Robotic Solutions
Dedicated sessions were held for the project's technical work packages, where each leader presented recent achievements, current activities and plans for the next six months. Partners showcased progress on the three main robotic innovations:
- InnerShieldBot
- InspectionShieldBot
- FaçadeShieldBot
The University of Nottingham presented a demo on a crawling robot designed for façade inspection while Nantes Université and CNRS showed their experimental testing platform used for controller activation and validation.
The afternoon sessions explored the project’s solutions enabling robot perception and human-robot interaction, mainly based on cameras and sensors to improve environmental perception, precision and operational stability.
EcoShield and DigiShield
The consortium also reviewed progress on EcoShield, where work has focused on selecting and now testing sustainable materials, alongside developments within DigiShield and its Building Information Modelling (BIM) digital twin.
DFKI and RPTU presented their latest achievements in Scan-to-BIM technologies, demonstrating semantic segmentation techniques capable of transforming building scans into detailed 3D digital models. These different techniques were applied to the building floor scanned in Paris, part of a renovation project from Bouygues Construction, in May 2026.
Visiting DFKI's Robotics Facilities
DFKI organised a visit to its research facilities, showcasing a range of innovative robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) demonstrations, including eye tracking while driving to ensure safety and compliance, glasses with a camera that translates your hands movement into a digital twin of the room, and a camera device coupled with a decision-making algorithm to help a robot pick up the best brick in a stack when requested.
The day finished with a traditional dinner at a local biergarten, offering partners the opportunity to continue the discussions in an informal setting while strengthening collaboration across the consortium.
How Can Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Automation Transform Europe's Construction Industry?
RADIANCE, RoboCons and ShieldBot answer this question. These three Horizon Europe projects are working towards a safer, smarter and more sustainable construction industry supported by advanced robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and intelligent automation solutions.
RADIANCE: Robotic, Automated and Digital Solutions for Building Renovation
Building renovation is becoming increasingly important as Europe seeks to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. The Horizon Europe project RADIANCE addresses this challenge by proposing an integrated suite of robotic, digital and AI-based technologies that support the entire renovation lifecycle.
From building inspection and diagnosis to repair operations, safety monitoring, planning and sustainability assessment, RADIANCE brings together multiple technologies into a single ecosystem. Through three real-life demonstration scenarios across Europe, the project is validating solutions designed to accelerate renovation workflows, assist construction professionals with advanced digital tools, improve worker safety and reduce the environmental footprint of renovation activities.
RADIANCE brings together 12 leading organisations from seven European countries, combining expertise in robotics, automation, AI, construction, digitalisation, and sustainability, coordinated by Universidade de Vigo (Spain).
RoboCons: Advancing Cooperative Robotics for Sustainable Construction
RoboCons shares the vision of a more automated construction industry emphasising cooperation between humans and machines.
The project is developing innovative human-centred robotic and AI solutions that enable seamless collaboration between construction workers and robotic systems. Coordinated by CONSTRUCCIONES ACR (Spain) and bringing together 14 partners from across Europe, RoboCons is creating a Robot-Human Adaptive Construction Ecosystem alongside a Digital Construction Platform.
These technologies will improve productivity, reduce material waste, enhance worker safety and support the construction sector's digital transformation. By ensuring that robots adapt to human operators, RoboCons promotes safe, efficient and practical deployment of collaborative robotics on construction sites.
ShieldBot: Advanced Robotics for Optimal Building Efficiency
As the demand for energy-efficient buildings grows, traditional construction methods fall short in meeting modern sustainability standards. ShieldBot intends to address this gap through the deployment of three specialised robotic solutions that enhance the energy efficiency of buildings while reducing environmental impact:
- InnerShieldBot is designed for internal construction works, applying similar thermal shielding to walls and ceilings to enhance comfort and efficiency.
- InspectionShieldBot utilises advanced sensors to assess building exteriors, identifying areas needing repair or insulation, ensuring maintenance and sustainability.
- FaçadeShieldBot focuses on installing thermal shielding on building façades, improving insulation and reducing energy consumption.
These robotic systems are supported by DigiShield, a digital twin platform that aggregates and analyses data from on-site operations, enabling real-time decision-making and precise project planning, and EcoShield, innovative, eco-friendly materials for insulation solutions to further minimise the carbon footprint of construction activities.
ShieldBot emphasises the integration of human-robot collaboration to ensure that robotic solutions support rather than replace human workers, enhancing safety and efficiency on-site. The consortium if formed by 11 research and industrial partners from six European countries (including Ukraine and United Kingdom), coordinated by IDEKO, bringing together a balanced mix of expertise in research, technology development, industry, and dissemination.
RADIANCE, RoboCons and ShieldBot at the Innovation Industry Construction Congress 2026
Ibai Inziarte, Innovation Director at Aldakin and Dissemination and Communication Lead for RoboCons, explained these solutions in the presentation "Industrialisation of Construction through Collaborative Robotics and Intelligent Automation: ShieldBot, RADIANCE, RoboCons", during the Innovation Industry Construction Congress (IC2) 2026, held in Santander, Spain, on 1-5 June 2026.
Access the full presentation on Zenodo.
ShieldBot Showcases Construction 5.0 Innovations at IC2 2026 with the EU-funded projects RADIANCE and RoboCons
ShieldBot participated in the Innovation Industry Construction Congress (IC2) 2026, held in Santander, Spain, on 1-5 June 2026, joining the European initiatives RADIANCE and RoboCons to discuss how robotics, automation and digital technologies are transforming the future of construction.
Our project took part in the session entitled “Construction 5.0: Optimising Value Chain Processes for Enhanced Productivity and New Business Models”, moderated by Ainhoa Amaro Garcia, Chief Operating Officer at EVOCONS (Evolution Construction System).
Ibai Inziarte, Innovation Director at Aldakin and Dissemination and Communication Lead for RoboCons, delivered a presentation as part of the session highlighting the digital and automated solutions being developed across ShieldBot, RADIANCE and RoboCons, titled “Industrialisation of Construction through Collaborative Robotics and Intelligent Automation”. Ibai demonstrated how these EU research and innovation projects are accelerating the adoption of robotics and intelligent systems on construction sites, enhancing operational efficiency while improving working conditions and supporting the transition towards a more resilient built environment.
You can download his presentation on Zenodo.
IDEKO Representing ShieldBot
ShieldBot was represented at the congress by Iker Mancisidor Aizpurua, Engineer in the Dynamics & Control Department at IDEKO Research Center, the project's coordinating organisation.
His participation reinforced ShieldBot’s commitment to advancing innovative robotic solutions that support safer, more efficient and more sustainable construction and renovation processes. The event offered an excellent opportunity to engage with industry stakeholders, exchange knowledge and demonstrate how collaborative research projects are helping to drive the sector’s digital transformation.
More about RADIANCE and RoboCons
RADIANCE is a Horizon Europe project developing an integrated suite of robotic, digital, and AI-based technologies to support the full renovation process, from inspection and diagnosis to repair, safety, planning, and sustainability assessment. Through three real-life validation scenarios in European buildings, the project aims to accelerate renovation workflows, support workers with advanced tools, improve safety, and reduce the environmental footprint of construction activities.
RoboCons is another Horizon Europe project dedicated to advancing cooperative robotics for a safer, more efficient and sustainable construction industry. Bringing together 14 partners from across Europe and coordinated by CONSTRUCCIONES ACR, the project is developing innovative human-centred robotic and AI solutions that enable seamless collaboration between workers and machines on construction sites. Through the creation of a Robot-Human Adaptive Construction Ecosystem and a Digital Construction Platform, RoboCons aims to reduce waste, improve productivity, enhance worker safety and accelerate the digital transformation of the construction sector.
More about IC2 2026: Innovation Industry Construction Congress
The Innovation Industry Construction Congress (IC2) 2026 is one of the leading international events dedicated to innovation in construction, infrastructure and building. IC2 brought together industry professionals, researchers, technology developers and policymakers to explore the digital and sustainable transformation of the sector. The congress provided an ideal platform for showcasing cutting-edge solutions that are helping to shape Construction 5.0, where human-centred innovation, automation and sustainability work together to improve productivity, safety and resilience across the construction value chain.
https://youtu.be/KKf1aI6-ENk?si=gt1DvTZBVNdhSmWy
ShieldBot Participates in the 3DMC 2026 Metrology Webinar
On 8 May 2026, the ShieldBot project took part in the Metrology Webinar "Previewing the Latest Advances in 3D Metrology", organised by 3DMC 2026, the international conference on 3D Metrology that will be held on 8-10 September 2026 in London, United Kingdom.
During the webinar, Oier Saez de Egilaz, Automotive Engineer at IDEKO, the organisation coordinating ShieldBot, briefly presented the research paper entitled “Uncertainty-Aware Close-Range Photogrammetry Design: Circular Marker 2D Measurement Accuracy Characterisation and Precision Modelling for Subpixel Methods”, that will be further explained during the conference in September.
The presentation "2D Measurement Accuracy of Circular Markers by Characterisation and Precision Modelling for Subpixel Methods" highlighted recent advances in close-range photogrammetry and precision modelling methods, addressing the importance of measurement accuracy and uncertainty-aware approaches in industrial and technological applications. These topics are closely aligned with ShieldBot’s objectives of improving precision, safety and efficiency in advanced construction environments through innovative robotics and sustainable materials.
The Metrology Webinar brought together experts and researchers in the field of metrology and 3D measurement technologies, providing an opportunity to exchange knowledge and discuss emerging developments ahead of the 3DMC 2026 conference in London. Besides Oier, the speakers who joined the session were:
- Peter Kinnell · Loughborough University
- Márcio Piecha · SENAI Institute of Innovation
- John Leffingwell · Quidient
- Joe Conrad · Quidient
- Daniel Heißelmann · Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, PTB
Watch the recording of Oier's presentation below or download it on ShieldBot's Zenodo!
https://youtu.be/h53bSpHmSIk?si=fcnl8u7LKVOEPCcc
About 3DMC 2026: The 3D Metrology Conference
The 3D Metrology Conference (3DMC) 2026 is an in-person, three-day event and expo that brings together researchers, engineers, and scientists interested in 3D metrology, data science, and digital manufacturing. It takes place on 8-10 September 2026 at Loughborough University London (Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park), United Kingdom.
The ShieldBot Team Meets in France for the Project’s Second General Assembly Hosted by Bouygues Construction
On 6 and 7 May 2026, Bouygues Construction welcomed the ShieldBot Consortium to Guyancourt and Neuilly-sur-Seine (France) for its second General Assembly.
Over two days of technical briefings, discussions and field activities, partners evaluated the progress since the project’s launch in November 2025, and defined the path towards the development of next-generation robotic solutions for sustainable construction, renovation and maintenance.
This is the third time the whole consortium meets in person, after the kick-off meeting in Elgoibar, Spain, and the first general assembly in Nottingham, United Kingdom.
ShieldBot’s Work Package 2 ‘Requirements and KPIs definition’ Completed
The meeting took place at Bouygues Construction’s headquarters in Guyancourt, and was organised by Christian De Nacquard, Research & Development (R&D) Innovation Director, Alexandre Picot, R&D Project Manager, and Florian Dufour, R&D Engineer.
The first day focused on the technical and managerial progress of the project’s work packages. Sessions covered project management and coordination activities, dissemination and exploitation plans, as well as advancements in robotic solutions, advanced robot functionalities, and construction site technologies. Partners also reviewed milestones, deliverables, and priorities for the next six months.
The recent completion of Work Package 2 (WP2) ‘Requirements and KPIs definition’, led by Bouygues Construction, was one of the highlights of the meeting. The consortium further refined and consolidated the industry requirements, as well as the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) definition, which underpin the technical developments planned for the coming stages of the project.
First Visit to a Renovation Site
On the second day, partners visited Les Arches du Carreau, a heavy renovation site conducted by a Bouygues Construction subsidiary especialised in renovation, Bouygues Bâtiment IDF - Rénovation Privée. This construction is located in the Avenue Charles de Gaulle in Neuilly-sur-Seine, linking Paris via the Arc de Triomphe and La Défense.
The renovated building is a mixed-use development comprising office space and the covered Market of Neuilly on the first floor. The project is a typical example of deep refurbishment combined with new construction; indeed, the entire building was stripped back to its core structure, and a four-storey wooden elevation was added.
The visit provided the consortium with a valuable opportunity to observe real construction challenges and discuss how ShieldBot technologies can support safer, more sustainable, and more efficient renovation processes in real-world environments. It was conducted by Thomas Mathieu, Project Director of this site, who offered the partners the possibility to view:
- Strict operational constraints in a dense urban environment such as noise, workings hours, and logistic limitations.
- The scheduling reality of constructions: 22 months schedule to renovate 35.000 sqm.
- The detail of the false ceiling mechanical and electrical (M&E) systems to better understand the InspectionShieldBot.
- Plaster boards dimension for the InnerShieldBot.
- Layers of the façade in detail for the FaçadeShiedlbot.
As highlighted by Miren Zelaia, Project Manager at IDEKO, the organisation coordinating ShieldBot:
“The recent completion of WP2 has allowed us to go deeper into the developments we are going to carry out, and the visit to Bouygues’ renovation site was truly impressive.” - Miren Zelaia, Project Manager at IDEKO.
During this activity, Sandeep Inuganti, PhD Candidate at DFKI and RPTU Kaiserslautern, and Cheng Lu, Research Associate at RPTU Kaiserslautern, scanned of one of the construction areas, preparing future work related to digitalisation and advanced site technologies.
Xin Dong, Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham, also observed that it was stimulating to see the potential impact that robotic technologies can have to address challenges in such complex and demanding construction environments. He highlighted:
"Visiting Bouygues Construction’s renovation site was extremely inspiring for us. It allowed us to see, from the end user’s perspective, the real challenges that our robotic inspection solution needs to address in complex and dynamic construction environments. We believe robotics can not only reduce the manual burden of inspection and make site information collection faster and more consistent, but also open new possibilities for future building design. By reducing the need to design inspection and maintenance access around human limitations, robotic technologies can ultimately provide greater design freedom while supporting safety, quality and sustainability throughout the building lifecycle." - Xin Dong, Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham.
We would like to thank Bouygues Construction for hosting the meeting and organising the renovation-site visit!
Welcome to ShieldBot: Shaping the Future Advanced, Sustainable Robotics in Construction
Welcome to the very first edition of the ShieldBot newsletter!
As the demand for energy-efficient construction grows, traditional methods fall short in meeting modern sustainability standards to reduce their environmental footprint. ShieldBot steps in bringing next-generation robotics directly onto construction sites to transform how we build, renovate, and maintain our buildings.
How? Developing three solutions:
- InnerShieldBot, designed for internal construction works, applying similar thermal shielding to walls and ceilings to enhance comfort and efficiency.
- InspectionShieldBot, utilising advanced sensors to assess building exteriors, identifying areas needing repair or insulation, ensuring maintenance and sustainability.
- FaçadeShieldBot, focusing on installing thermal shielding on building façades, improving insulation and reducing energy consumption.
These robotic systems are supported by DigiShield, a digital twin platform that aggregates and analyses data from on-site operations, enabling real-time decision-making and precise project planning; and EcoShield, innovative, eco-friendly materials for insulation solutions to further minimise the carbon footprint of construction activities.
Beyond technological innovation, ShieldBot emphasises the integration of human-robot collaboration to ensure that robotic solutions support rather than replace human workers, enhancing safety and efficiency on-site.
DISCOVER MORE ABOUT OUR PROJECT
“With ShieldBot, we are bringing smart robots into construction to help make buildings more sustainable and energy-efficient. By combining robotics with human expertise, we want to show how technology can work alongside people to make construction sites safer, greener, and more efficient. Our hope is that ShieldBot sets a new example for how robots and people can build a better future together”, Jokin Muñoa, Scientific Manager at IDEKO and Coordinator of ShieldBot.
ShieldBot in Action
Kick-off Meeting at IDEKO’s Premises in Elgoibar, Spain
Almost six months ago, on 4-5 November 2025, the ShieldBot consortium gathered in person for the first time at the facilities of IDEKO, the project coordinator, in Elgoibar, a town in the Basque Country, Spain, to kick-off the project.
ShieldBot, “Next-Generation Robotics for Sustainable and Efficient Thermal Shielding of Buildings”, is set to revolutionise the construction industry by integrating advanced robotics with sustainable practices to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in building renovation and energy efficiency.
First Workshop at European Robotics Forum 2026
In March 2026, ShieldBot hit a significant milestone at the European Robotics Forum 2026 (ERF 2026) hosted on 23-27 March 2026 in Stavanger, Norway, with the co-organisation of our first workshop titled “AI and Robotics in Construction: From Perception to Action”.
Jointly organised with the Tech4EUConstruction Cluster, this third edition of the workshop gathered seven experts from research and industry to discuss how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics can drive a more sustainable, digital future for the construction sector. The speakers represented the projects DISCOVER, RoBétArmé, BEEYONDERS, TARGET-X and XSCAVE, alongside ShieldBot.
ShieldBot attends BIEMH 2026
A couple of weeks before ERF 2026, ShieldBot joined the conversation on innovation in robotics at the Bienal Internacional de Máquina-Herramienta (BIEMH) 2026 in Bilbao, Spain. Held at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre from 2 to 6 March 2026, IDEKO, ShieldBot’s project coordinator, took part in one of the fair’s innovation workshops on robotics, automation and digitisation.
Upcoming events
Those who attended ERF 2026 and BIEMH 2026 had the opportunity to learn more about our project in person. If you missed us, there will be plenty opportunities to connect, as we will be participating in several upcoming events:
- ICRA 2026: 1-5 June 2026, Vienna (Austria)
- IC2. Innovation industry Construction Congress: 1-5 June 2026, Santander (Spain)
- 3DMC - 3D Metrology Conference: 8-10 September 2026, London (UK)
- O3DM - Optical 3D Metrology: 18-20 November 2026, Braunschweig (Germany)
Who is behind ShieldBot?
Meet our Partners
Funded by the Horizon Europe programme, ShieldBot is formed by a consortium of 11 research and industrial partners from six European countries, including Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
Coordinated by IDEKO, the team brings together a balanced mix of expertise in research, technology development, industry, and dissemination to rethink construction through innovation during the next three years.
This consortium reunited for its first General Assembly at the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, in February 2026. Organised by Xin Dong, Associate Professor in Engineering Design for Manufacturing, Jung-Che Chang, Research Associate, and Dragos Axinte, Professor of Manufacturing Engineering, this two-day event brought together the ShieldBot partners to reflect on progress since the kick-off meeting in Elgoibar, Spain, in November 2025.
Held at the Jubilee Campus, the Assembly served to align future activities, strengthen cooperation among the project’s technical and management teams and drive forward innovative robotic solutions for a more sustainable and efficient built environment.
Read the details of our General Assembly
The Tech4EUConstruction Cluster
Advancing AI and Robotics in Construction
ShieldBot is a member of the Tech4EUconstruction cluster. Funded in 2022 by BEEYONDERS, HumanTech, and RoBétArmé projects, and supported by the European Commission, the Cluster aims to develop and demonstrate new technologies to further digitalise and automatise the European construction sector, targeting to increase its safety and attractivity for workers.
https://youtu.be/8ZnMB1slkvY?si=5qrJ6MII0IpZzfrs
Thank you for reading the first ShieldBot Newsletter!
We encourage you to follow our journey to revolutionise the EU construction industry with robotics.
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ShieldBot Co-organises its first Project Workshop at the European Robotics Forum 2026
ShieldBot hit a significant milestone at the European Robotics Forum 2026 (ERF 2026) hosted on 23-27 March 2026 in Stavanger, Norway, with the co-organisation of its first workshop titled “AI and Robotics in Construction: From Perception to Action”. Jointly organised with the Tech4EUConstruction Cluster, the workshop gathered seven experts from research and industry to discuss how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics can drive a more sustainable, digital future for the construction sector.
The workshop, held on the 24 of March, brought together three Tech4EUConstruction members: DISCOVER, RoBétArmé and BEEYONDERS, alongside ShieldBot, as well as two EU-funded projects: TARGET-X and XSCAVE. These initiatives focus their research activities on robotics, automation, AI, and construction, developing solutions to face industry challenges and creating real-world applications.
Robotics in Construction: From Undeniable Potential to Real-World Implementation
The session attracted an engaged audience of over 70 participants, reflecting the growing interest in robotics and automation within the construction sector. After the project's presentations, Jason Rambach (DFKI), main organiser of the workshop and ShieldBot partner, moderated the panel discussion featuring the speakers, in which participants from the audience contributed actively to the conversation. Among the topics discussed were the construction areas with more potential for robotics, the main challenges for robots in construction, or the current funding landscape.
The experts sharing the various research activities developed within their projects were:
- Sigrid Brell-Cokcan (RWTH Aachen University) represented TARGET-X
- Dimitris Giakoumis (Centre for Research & Technology Hellas - CERTH) talked about RoBétArmé.
- Antonio Alonso Cepeda (ACCIONA) presented BEEYONDERS.
- David Caballero Flores (CDEI-UPC Centre de Disseny d'Equips Industrials - Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya) showcased DISCOVER.
- Viktor Wiberg (Algoryx) spoke about XSCAVE.
- Sara Mata (IDEKO) introduced ShieldBot.
They described the use of robotics in a wide range of scenarios in the construction industry, from buildings to maritime infrastructures. The use cases highlighted the capabilities of robots to perform a variety of tasks: from mapping, to maintenance or excavation, in a reliable and autonomous way.
The message was clear: the potential of robotics to transform the construction industry is undeniable, yet we need to go further to accelerate innovation, collaboration, and real-world implementation. The importance of embedding a human-centric approach and sustainability principles into the development of every solution was also remarked.
Jason Rambach (DFKI) reflected on the session:
“For the fourth year in a row at the ERF, the Workshop on AI and Robotics in Construction was a great success as shown by the number of attendants as well as their active participation in the interactive part of the workshop. We were able to witness how early concepts have turned into reality over these last years, and how construction robotics are transforming from a niche domain into a key robotic application area contributing to efficiency, sustainability and safety in the sector.” - Jason Rambach, Senior Researcher and Team Leader Spatial Sensing and Machine Perception at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI)
ShieldBot at the Tech4EUConstruction Workshop at ERF 2026
The main objective of ShieldBot is to revolutionise the construction, renovation, and maintenance sectors with robotics.
During the Tech4EUConstruction workshop at ERF 2026, Sara Mata, Senior Researcher on Robotics for Manufacturing at IDEKO, the organisation coordinating the project, presented ShieldBot.
She explained how we are investigating and validating a new generation of robotic systems tailored to the industry’s unique challenges. These robotic systems will integrate groundbreaking advancements in robotic hardware, advanced control algorithms, eco-material applications, and AI-based dynamic modelling tools to enable thorough upfront planning and execution.
By addressing critical challenges such as environmental sustainability, resource inefficiency, and workforce limitations, ShieldBot will deliver adaptable, precise, and sustainable solutions that enhance productivity, quality, safety and environmental performance of construction, renovation and maintenance tasks.
ShieldBot at European Robotics Forum 2026
Beyond the workshop, ShieldBot partners from IDEKO, DFKI and AUSTRALO, actively engaged with the broader ERF community, attending workshops, sharing insights, exchanging ideas, and strengthening connections with stakeholders across academia and industry.
Humanoid robots that support cognitive stimulation tasks for seniors, drones to inspect offshore oil platforms, or robots to automate processes in manufacturing are only some examples of the cutting-edge technologies being developed to address the industry challenges.
But our partners also had the opportunity to learn more about designing robots for social acceptance, building sustainable and trustworthy cognitive robotics, and technology transfer and exploitation, especially in SMEs.
About European Robotics Forum 2026
The European Robotics Forum 2026 (ERF 2026) once again proved to be a cornerstone event for Europe’s robotics and AI community, bringing together over 1,000 researchers, industry leaders, and innovators to exchange ideas and showcase progress on the latest trends shaping the future of robotics in Europe.
About the Tech4EUConstruction Cluster
ShieldBot is a member of the Tech4EUconstruction Cluster. Funded in 2022 by BEEYONDERS, HumanTech, and RoBétArmé projects, and supported by the European Commission, the Cluster aims to develop and demonstrate new technologies to further digitalise and automatise the European construction sector, targeting to increase its safety and attractivity for workers.
The rest of the projects involved are: REINCARNATE, BIM2TWIN, InCUBE, HERON, DTERBIM, RECONMATIC and DISCOVER.
ShieldBot Joins the Conversation on Innovation in Robotics at BIEMH 2026 in Bilbao
ShieldBot participated in the Bienal Internacional de Máquina-Herramienta (International Machine-Tool Exhibition), BIEMH 2026, held at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre from 2 to 6 March 2026. The project was represented by our coordinator IDEKO at Stand E20 in Hall 1 and also took part in one of the fair’s innovation workshops.
Within the booth, IDEKO showcased the latest innovations and technologies developed at the research centre, creating a research corner highlighting several ongoing Research & Development (R&D) initiatives, including ShieldBot, which was presented to visitors throughout the event, screening the presentation that you can see below. This space enabled direct interactions and discussions with industry professionals interested in robotics, automation, and advanced manufacturing solutions.
ShieldBot Participation in an Innovation Workshop on Robotics, Automation and Digitisation
Our coordinator also took part in a roundtable discussion organised by AER Automation, the Spanish association for robotics and industrial automation, on Thursday 5 March at 11:05h in Hall 6 - B-50 Speakers’ Corner by Bizkaiko Foru Aldundia / Diputación Foral de Bizkaia (Provincial Council of Bizkaia), as part of the Innovation Workshops on Robotics, Automation and Digitisation. The session was titled “De la I+D aplicada al impacto industrial: robótica y automatización para una fabricación inteligente y sostenible” (“From Applied R&D to Industrial Impact: Robotics and Automation for Smart and Sustainable Manufacturing”).
Asier Barrios, Researcher at IDEKO, contributed as a speaker, sharing IDEKO’s experience and perspectives on the role of robotics in enabling smarter and more sustainable manufacturing. His intervention helped to increase the visibility of the ShieldBot project among members of the industrial and automation community who attended BIEMH 2026.
The workshop gathered approximately 30 participants, mainly representatives from Basque industrial companies as well as researchers from regional technology centres. The discussion offered an opportunity to strengthen relationships with AER Automation and foster dialogue with potential end-users from the advanced manufacturing sector. It was moderated by Alfonso Muñoz Bisié, Business Development at AER Automation, who was joined by Emilio Sánchez Tapia, Researcher at Ceit Research Center; Urko Esnaola, Head of Robotics for Industrial Flexibility at TECNALIA; Ander Ansuategui, Researcher in the Autonomous and Intelligent Systems Unit at Tekniker, and the ShieldBot representative Asier Barrios.
Asier highlighted that Shieldbot is a clear example of IDEKO's evolution in the field of robotics, where we are exploring new applications to help shape a more sustainable construction sector, with a particular focus on improving building efficiency.
BIEMH 2026: The Leading International Trade Fair for Advanced Manufacturing
Participation in the event facilitated valuable exchanges with industrial companies, technology centres, and potential adopters of advanced robotic solutions. These interactions contributed to strengthening IDEKO’s outreach and opened new opportunities for collaboration and future exploitation pathways for the ShieldBot project.
ShieldBot at the European Robotics Forum 2026: Workshop on Robotics and AI with the Tech4EUConstruction Projects
The ShieldBot project will participate in the European Robotics Forum (ERF) 2026 in Stavanger, Norway, by contributing to a workshop organised by the Tech4EUConsutruction Cluster exploring the role of artificial intelligence and robotics in the construction sector. Titled “AI and Robotics in Construction: From Perception to Action” the session will take place on 24 March 2026 from 14:00h to 15:20h in Lysefjorden B, bringing together experts from research and industry to discuss the latest advances enabling autonomous and intelligent construction systems.
The organiser of the workshop is Jason Rambach (DFKI), with co-organisers David Caballero Flores (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya), Viktor Wiberg (Algoryx), Antonio Alonso Cepeda (ACCIONA), Dimitrios Giakoumis (CERTH-ITI), and Ali Muhammad (University of Southern Denmark).
The Tech4EUConstruction projects participating are RoBétArmé, BEEYONDERS, DISCOVER, and ShieldBot. Sara Mata, Senior Researcher on Robotics for Manufacturing at IDEKO, will represent us. Moreover, after the workshop introduction by Jason Rambach, there will be an invited talk with the project TARGET-X about climate-neutral and resource-efficient construction with Sigrid Brell-Cokcan (RWTH Aachen). XSCAVE will also join us as an invited project.
“AI and Robotics in Construction: From Perception to Action” - Agenda and Speakers
READ THE BROCHURE BELOW TO DISCOVER THE FULL WORKSHOP AGENDA AND SPEAKERS:
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