Japanese firm Komatsu has announced the launch of four IoT devices and eight applications within its existing SmartContruction offerings to accelerate digital transformation efforts, as well as the formal introduction of SmartContruction in the USA and Europe.
 
Since its introduction in 2015, SmartContruction has addressed the labour shortages facing the Japanese construction industry by realising improved productivity and safety on sites. This has been made possible by employing digital technologies both in Japan and overseas; domestically, these technologies have been introduced to more than 10,000 worksites.
 
The development of the IoT devices and applications was started in April 2019 as a global open innovation R&D project with development partners comprising mainly start-ups – 12 in Japan and eight overseas – as well as proof-of-concept partners from the USA, Europe and Japan. The project has employed an agile development approach.
 
While the previous version of SmartContruction only digitised part of the construction process (vertical digitisation), these new IoT devices and applications will allow for digitisation of the entire process (horizontal digitisation). This will enable worksite operations to be optimised by synchronising the real worksite with its digital twin, and thereby realising improvements in the safety, productivity and environmental performance of the entire worksite. And as individual worksites are digitised, the aim is to provide further optimised control over multiple worksites by connecting them remotely (in-depth digitisation).
 
The content of IoT device and application launch includes:

• Drone: This device can be used to create the digital twin of the worksite. This easy-to-fly drone measures the initial worksite terrain for 3D modelling as well as daily earth-volume progress tracking without requiring ground control points.
• Edge: This device conducts high-speed processing (edge computing) of image data taken by the drone to generate orthorectified images and 3D point cloud data that are cleaned by removal of unnecessary objects. Edge makes it possible to understand daily work progress more quickly than the survey time reduction realised by the drone, which already is faster than conventional methods.
• Dashboard: This core application connects the digital worksite from the planning phase through to completion by using the 3D data generated by the drone and edge. In addition to basic functions such as a 3D topography and surveying viewer, current-status-and-target comparison tool and earth volume calculation, it also links with other applications.
• Simulation (application): This simulation tool calculates various worksite components, such as optimised earthmoving method, direction, transportation routes and equipment assignments. This application leverages Komatsu’s know-how from the industrial domain in simulation as well as algorithm development, and will be further enhanced using artificial intelligence learning in the future.
• Design: SmartContruction Design generates 3D data tailored to earthmoving operations by considering simulation results and potential worksite constraints. This builds on existing 3D data services provided by Komatsu by widening its coverage to, for example, temporary worksite road data.
• AR (application): This application overlays to-be terrain data to the as-is data for visualisation of worksite operation progress and confirmation of remaining earth volume via a tablet or smartphone using electronic worksite stakes.
• Retrofit (IoT device): The aim of this device is to make all construction equipment on the worksite digitally compatible so as to execute effectively the aforementioned optimised operation plan and digital task lists generated by the other IoT devices and applications.
• Fleet (application): Operation management via use of a digital twin allows for rapid progress gap quantification and operation plan adjustment in high-speed PDCA style. SmartContruction Fleet enables the monitoring of machines (construction equipment and dump trucks), workers and materials on the worksite to analyse potential progress gaps and determine optimal countermeasures.
• Fleet (IoT device): Fleet will now be deployable on newly dedicated devices in addition to smartphones.
• Field (application): This application enables digital task assignment and progress reporting for worksite workers via a smartphone. It has the functionality to quantify worksite cost in view of manpower and materials.
• Remote (application): This application offers remote 3D data input to ICT construction equipment and remote troubleshooting services for those requiring support, for example due to operator error.
• Insight (application): This application is for managers overseeing multiple worksites; digital worksites can be monitored and controlled via a PC, tablet or smartphone from anywhere – worksite, office, during business trip.

The first group, which will be launched in April 2020, comprises Drone, Edge, Dashboard, Retrofit, Fleet and Remote. Komatsu plans to release the rest within the first half of fiscal year 2020 in Japan.

The business model will vary from existing sales and rental options or subscriptions depending on the characteristic of each, which will be available for single use. However, Komatsu plans additionally to offer a digital transformation gateway that will be a customer-centric approach to providing products matching the needs and pain points of each user.