Computer Vision in Construction: 5 Applications to Create Workplace of the Future

Computer vision is changing the way businesses operate. From retail to warehousing, from manufacturing to urban planning, the technology allows to measure and analyze real-life objects and create a quantifiable data level on top of them.

Computer vision utilizes video or image data to ‘count the uncountable’. The software can analyze video footage from video surveillance cameras which are already present at most modern workplaces. It is simple to deploy, requires little to no additional hardware investment. The advances in machine learning make computer vision applications more accurate and dependable.

Therefore video analysis is making inroads into construction sites. These tools can increase productivity, improve safety, reduce costs and lead to more well-informed planning decisions.

We take a look at the best 5 computer vision applications for the construction industry.

1. Monitoring PPE compliance

Everyone knows that even the best safety protocols ‘on paper’ are hard to enforce in real life.

Computer vision can identify if hardhats, high visibility jackets, gloves, masks, footwear, and other protective equipment are worn by employees entering company premises or certain areas where such equipment is required.

It can automatically notify the site security officer if a PPE compliance breach was detected. The video footage can be also stored for later incident analysis. The technology does not take coffee breaks, never sleeps, and provides constant site monitoring.

2. Tracking material quantities

Computer vision can track the quantities of building materials stored on the construction site. The technology can provide alerts in advance when quantities are running low.

3. Optimizing worker flow

In large construction sites, inefficient movement of workers can result in significant time expenses. Computer vision can create spaghetti diagrams, identifying worker movement trajectories. They allow to check for longer travel paths, movement bottlenecks, and optimize on-site material storage.

4. Measuring manual cycle duration

Computer vision can identify the duration of manual cycles. This is especially relevant for construction where the process is manual labor-intensive. The software can measure how long a particular task takes (for instance, laying a line of pavement tiles). Similar to BIM model 3D progress tracking, this can help to produce real-life project completion estimates and check whether the construction progress is in line with the project timeline.

5. Preventing unauthorized access

Computer vision solutions are already utilized in many worksites for access control. By identifying license plates, it can prevent unauthorized vehicle access. Taking things further, technology also utilizes face recognition and can automatically identify unauthorized persons.

Although in the near future construction sites will feature assistant robots for moving the materials, 3D printers enabling to produce required components on-site, or drones supervising work at high altitudes, computer vision in construction already allows making the processes more efficient.

Want to transfer your construction site into the feature? Let’s talk today!