Events
IDEKO Presents ShieldBot Research on Photogrammetry Design at 3D Metrology Conference 2026
ShieldBot participated in the 3D Metrology Conference (3DMC 2026), held from 8 to 10 September 2026 at Loughborough University London, United Kingdom, to present a scientific paper. Oier Saez de Egilaz, Automotive Engineer at IDEKO, the organisation coordinating our project, explained the research paper “Uncertainty-Aware Photogrammetry Design: 2D Subpixel Measurement Accuracy and Precision Modelling” in an oral technical presentation during Session 1.
Oier's presentation in the morning of 9 September brought together around 60 attendees from research and industry, mainly from European countries including Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Ireland and the UK, as well as Brazil. Around 65% of participants represented research organisations, while 35% came from industry.
The work, co-authored by a team of researchers from IDEKO, including Oier Saez de Egilaz, Iñigo Auzmendi Iriarte, Pedro González de Alaiza, Ibai Leizea, Stuart Robson and Rafael Barcena, focuses on uncertainty in marker-based photogrammetry, particularly the modelling of the accuracy and precision of different subpixel detection methodologies. The research is relevant to the design and optimisation of reliable vision-based 3D measurement systems, where understanding the uncertainty associated with 2D image measurements is essential for improving the accuracy and robustness of subsequent 3D reconstruction and pose-estimation processes.
The findings presented at 3DMC contribute to ShieldBot’s work on reliable robotic perception and high-precision measurement for industrial applications. By improving the understanding and modelling of measurement uncertainty, the project can support the development of robotic systems capable of operating with greater precision and robustness.
“Participation in 3DMC 2026 gave us the opportunity to present our latest advances in photogrammetry and exchange knowledge with experts in 3D metrology and industrial measurement. These insights are valuable for the ShieldBot project, where accurate measurement and reliable perception are essential for improving the precision and robustness of robotic systems.” - Oier Saez de Egilaz, Automotive Engineer at IDEKO.
The paper presented at the conference has been developed partly within the ITXURA project, advancing the use of photogrammetry and 3D metrology for new industrial applications. The event also provided an opportunity to exchange knowledge with researchers and industrial specialists working on current challenges in 3D measurement and metrology.
About 3DMC 2026: The 3D Metrology Conference
The 3D Metrology Conference (3DMC) 2026 is an annual international event focused on 3D metrology and its applications in fields such as automation, digitalisation, quality control and advanced manufacturing. It brings together industry professionals, researchers, universities and applied research centres to share advancements, applications and new technologies related to 3D measurement and metrology.
This year, it took place on 8-10 September 2026, organised by Loughborough University London, in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, United Kingdom.
ShieldBot’s participation in the 3D Metrology Conference 2026 follows the project’s involvement in the 3DMC 2026 Metrology Webinar in May, continuing its engagement with the international 3D metrology community.
Images provided by IDEKO.
ShieldBot at the International Conference on Pattern Recognition: Advancing Panoramic Perception for Robotics
The ShieldBot project was represented at the 28th International Conference on Pattern Recognition (ICPR 2026), held from 17 to 22 August 2026 in Lyon, France, with a poster presentation by Mahdi Chamseddine, Researcher at the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), based on the paper “PanoSAMic: Panoramic Image Segmentation from SAM Feature Encoding and Dual View Fusion”.
This work is part of ShieldBot’s research activities in multi-sensor 3D perception and addresses the challenges of understanding panoramic imagery for robotics applications. Besides Mahdi, the paper is also co-authored by Didier Stricker from RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau and Jason Rambach from DFKI.
Presenting PanoSAMic at ICPR 2026
On 19 August, Mahdi presented the PanoSAMic poster during Poster Session 3, as part of the Track 2 - Vision And Language & Visual Perception From 3D Point Clouds.
PanoSAMic explores how foundation models such as the Segment Anything Model (SAM) can be adapted for panoramic, or 360-degree, image understanding. Existing image foundation models are primarily trained on perspective images and therefore face challenges when dealing with the distortions and discontinuities characteristic of spherical imagery. PanoSAMic addresses these challenges by adapting the SAM encoder to provide multi-stage features and introducing a spatio-modal fusion approach to select relevant features and modalities for different regions of an image. Its semantic decoder further combines spherical attention and dual-view fusion to improve segmentation of panoramic scenes.
The conference paper and the poster are openly available on ShieldBot's Zenodo.
More about ICPR 2026: The 28th International Conference on Pattern Recognition
The International Conference on Pattern Recognition (ICPR 2026) brought together researchers from across computer vision, machine learning, image processing, speech and natural language processing and sensor pattern processing, providing an important forum for exchanging ideas and fostering new collaborations. As Mahdi summarised, the conference offered “publicity through the work published and discussions with peers.”
This exchange is particularly valuable for ShieldBot, where advances in perception and scene understanding form an important foundation for developing robotic technologies for sustainable and efficient thermal shielding of buildings.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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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