The 1200CX can reduce work at height, cut 70% of repetitive motion, and capture 99% of dust, claims Canvas. | Source: Canvas
Construction job sites are dynamic, unpredictable, and inherently complex. Oshkosh Corp. hopes to transform job sites with an intelligent and connected ecosystem. The company yesterday took a step forward in its goals by acquiring the core technology developed by Canvas Construction Inc.
Oshkosh didn’t provide any financial details of the transaction. The Robot Report reached out to Oshkosh for more details but has not heard back as of press time. This story will be updated with additional details if they become available.
San Francisco-based Canvas was founded in 2017. Its flagship construction robot was 1200CX, a worker-controlled drywall finishing robot. The robot precisely sprayed layers of joint compounds onto walls in a single step. This sped up the finishing process from four or five days to just one day of applying the material and one day of sanding, according to the company.
Canvas and Oshkosh have been working together for six years, since Canvas selected the JLG platform to develop its robot. Since then, Oshkosh said the technology has advanced to automate repetitive tasks and enable consistent, high-quality results.
“This addition adds to Oshkosh’s portfolio of intelligent technologies to address job-site challenges and support those who do tough work,” it said.
Oshkosh shows off robots for refuse collection at CES
In addition to the acquisition, Oshkosh introduced and updated HARR-E, or the Hailable Autonomous Refuse Robot, Electric. The company designed HARR-E for on-demand refuse collection. It enables residents to request a pickup using a smartphone app or a virtual at-home assistant. Then, HARR-E makes its way to the designated pickup point.
The new version features a two-piece design that makes it easy to lift and transfer waste into a central dumpster or collection point, said Oshkosh. It measures the volume and weight of waste at each pickup, notifying waste companies when a Dumpster or central container is approaching capacity, and it uses AI-optimized routes to serve multiple requests efficiently.
Oshkosh said the robot is suitable for planned communities, campuses, and corporate parks, event venues and stadiums, and even indoor environments, like malls and senior living facilities.
Modular mobile robots head to airports
Oshkosh is also hoping to bring more robots to airports. At CES, it showed a fleet of modular, autonomous robots that stand ready to assist ground support equipment (GSE) workers on the tarmac. Each robot is equipped to handle multiple ramp and airfield operational tasks.
These intelligent machines are intended tackle repetitive jobs in inclement weather, day or night, and to aid the departure and arrival of flights and move passengers efficiently to their destinations. Oshkosh said they can help airlines manage costs, uptime, and performance.
The company’s modular, commercial robotic platform is purpose-built to take on multiple jobs across the tarmac. Originally designed and used in the defense industry, this system combines autonomous mobility, AI-driven perception, and task-configurable hardware to promote flexibility, utilization, and return on investment (ROI) in airport operations, said Oshkosh.
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