Autonomous robot uses facial recognition to track construction site progress

British company Casta Spes Technologies (CST) has created Ziva, an autonomous two-wheeled robot that uses biometric facial recognition technology for security surveillance and documentation of construction sites, writes Construction Dive.

Ziva’s battery life lasts up to 12 hours and it can travel with up to 11mph. Ziva uses cameras to capture images and runs facial recognition to identify if authorized personnel are on site. According to Casta co-founder and CEO Selby Cary, even though Ziva is for now available in Europe, future plans include expanding to the US market by 2021, provided a suitable business partnership is signed.

Ziva was initially tested in multiple environments but evaluations concluded the security solution was more optimal for the construction industry due to its long-battery life, speed and unique applications. Ziva functions like a CCTV security camera that travels around the site on a pre-established route and in any terrain, a far cheaper solution compared to traditional expensive cameras, Cary says. The rental cost in the U.S. would be $1,300 a month, cheaper than security cameras or hiring guards.

The market for autonomous robots is growing. Last year, Boston Dynamics partnered with HoloBuilder and contractor Hensel Phelps to develop a robot called SpotWalk for the construction industry. It was a robotic document capture app and was used together with a robo-dog called Spot. Similarly to Ziva, Spot was programed to go on a certain route, and it took 360-degree images multiple times a day to record work progress.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  cctv  |  construction  |  facial recognition  |  license plate readers  |  robots  |  security  |  video surveillance