Researchers plan robot swarms that could assemble structures without human workers

Researchers at the University of Stuttgart in Germany are developing two autonomous robotic systems designed to make construction faster, more productive, and less wasteful. The projects, SCALAR and COBRAS, will explore how teams of robots and construction machines can assemble buildings with less human intervention while supporting more sustainable building methods. Both projects have secured funding through the European Innovation Council’s EIC Pathfinder Challenge, with each receiving approximately €4 million (approx. $9 million). Coordinated by the university’s Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD), the three-year projects are scheduled to begin in November 2026. The research focuses on two different approaches to robotic construction: autonomous machines assembling prefabricated timber modules and swarms of smaller robots building reusable lightweight structures. SCALAR brings autonomous machines to timber construction The SCALAR project aims to improve modular timber construction, in which building components are manufactured off-site and assembled at the construction site. The approach can reduce on-site construction time, while timber offers a renewable alternative to some conventional building materials. According to the University of Stuttgart, SCALAR will develop a timber construction system featuring universal connections and digital design processes, alongside a multi-scale robotics platform capable of assembling timber modules autonomously. The system will divide construction tasks between different machines. Retrofitted cranes will transport components and position them roughly, while mobile robots handle more precise assembly work. Before construction begins, researchers plan to simulate the assembly process in a virtual environment. A digital control system will then coordinate operations in real time and help maintain safety on-site. Developing sensors that can operate reliably amid construction-site dust, dirt, and difficult lighting conditions will also be a key part of the project. SCALAR is intended for both new buildings and renovation projects involving existing structures. The University of Stuttgart’s Institute for System Dynamics is also participating, alongside the Austrian Institute of Technology and crane manufacturers Liebherr and Jekko. COBRAS uses robot swarms to build reusable structures While SCALAR focuses on coordinating different types of construction machines, COBRAS will investigate how teams of identical, electrically powered mobile robots can assemble space-frame structures. Space frames use interconnected components to create lightweight structures that span large areas with relatively little material. Their modular design can also allow components to be dismantled and reused. However, assembling the many individual parts can be labor-intensive, limiting wider adoption. COBRAS aims to address this challenge through swarm intelligence. Instead of relying on a central controller to direct every robot, the machines will coordinate their actions autonomously and dynamically as a group. Using identical robots could make the system easier to scale: construction teams could add or remove robots according to the size of a project. If one machine requires maintenance, the remaining robots could continue working rather than bringing the entire assembly process to a halt. The project will also use digital design methods to reduce material consumption while improving structural performance. Researchers plan to develop modular components specifically suited to robotic assembly and disassembly, allowing structures to be taken apart, reused, and adapted to different locations or requirements. The University of Stuttgart’s Institute for Structural Engineering and Structural Design, the Reconfigurable Robotics Lab at EPFL in Switzerland, and the IRIDIA artificial intelligence research laboratory at Université Libre de Bruxelles are participating in COBRAS. Integrating robotics with the entire construction process Both projects reflect the University of Stuttgart’s approach of combining architecture, engineering, materials, digital planning and robotics rather than treating automation as a standalone technology. The researchers expect this integrated approach to improve construction productivity while supporting resource efficiency and circular building practices. However, SCALAR and COBRAS remain research projects, with their autonomous systems still to be developed and tested. Their planned three-year programs will explore whether coordinated construction machines and adaptable robot swarms can make complex assembly processes more efficient while enabling building components to be reused instead of discarded. Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Kaif Shaikh is a journalist and writer passionate about turning complex information into clear, impactful stories. His writing covers technology, sustainability, geopolitics, and occasionally fiction. A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, his work has appeared in the Times of India and beyond. After a near-fatal experience, Kaif began seeing both stories and silences differently. Outside work, he juggles far too many projects and passions, but always makes time to read, reflect, and hold onto the thread of wonder.