Autonomous Construction of Forward Operating Bases (ACOFOBS)

The Autonomous Construction of Forward Operating Bases (ACOFOBS) Phase II project aims to revolutionize military contingency construction by combining autonomous climbing robots and Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) with on-site Cold-Formed Steel (CFS) roll-forming technologies. Building on Phase I's success in developing climbing robots capable of assembling structures, Phase II focuses on integrating these robots with UGVs to form, transport, and assemble CFS elements into durable structures. The system will interface directly with the Engineer Research and Development Center's (ERDC) cold-formed steel manufacturing units and target designs from the Joint Construction Management System (JCMS), aligning with evolving military standards. Our Task and Motion Planning (TAMP) AI will be expanded to accommodate multiple agent types, enabling dynamic and coordinated robotic assembly. The project's goal is to create a scalable, robust, and logistically efficient construction platform that reduces human labor in remote and hostile environments. By collaborating with ERDC and aligning with the Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) standards, ACOFOBS Phase II aims to achieve seamless integration with broader Department of Defense automation initiatives, setting the stage for future deployment in military operations and potential applications in disaster relief and commercial construction sectors.