Photo courtesy of Boston Dynamics

Software and sensor firm Trimble has announced an alliance with Waltham-based robotics firm Boston Dynamics to market a version of the latter firm’s Spot dog-like robot geared towards construction projects.

The robot, which the companies say will be available starting in mid-2021, will include a variety of Trimble’s sensors useful for automating tasks like site scans, surveying and progress monitoring in potentially unsafe environments. A picture of the Spot robot mounting a Trimble GPS antenna on its back accompanied the announcement but the Boston Dynamics website also advertises the robot as being able to mount 3-D cameras and laser scanners or other payloads weighing up to about 30 pounds.

A statement from the two companies called the new product a “turnkey” solution for construction firms looking to automate jobsite monitoring tasks, citing a Minneapolis-based company, Mortenson, which has used Spot to accelerate project delivery by enabling it to maintain real-time awareness of projects’ statuses.

“Robots will play a crucial role in automated construction workflows and can augment the human workforce by handling dirty, dull and dangerous tasks,” Trimble Building Field Solutions general manager Martin Holmgren said in a statement. “Our experience with early adopters like Mortenson gave us visibility into the transformative potential of an integrated solution that seamlessly marries a world-class robot with construction-specific sensors and workflows.”

“The integrated solution will enable any jobsite leader to deploy Spot and Trimble technologies to get an accurate view of construction progress through real-time data collection. With a more comprehensive view of site activity, project managers can take proactive measures to ensure on-time, on-budget and safer project delivery,” Boston Dynamics Vice President of Business Development Michael Perry said in a statement.