In recent years, research in construction robotics has significantly advanced within the construction sector. However, many collaborative robotic systems have yet to be effectively integrated into large-scale construction settings due to limitations such as restricted workspace, deployment complexity and insufficient adaptability to dynamic on-site conditions. To address this issue, this paper aims to establish an augmented reality (AR)-assisted human-robot collaboration (HRC) workflow that uses low-fidelity visual markers to spatially register a modular robotic unit with a digital wall model, while enabling human-guided robot relocation supported by real-time feasibility visualisation.
The authors evaluate the complete cyber-physical workflow by constructing two large-scale masonry-like walls, each spanning 3 m, exceeding the operational range of the collaborative robotic arm and requiring repeated manual relocation of the modular robotic unit. After assembly, both structures were 3D-scanned and compared with their 3D digital models using cloud-to-cloud (C2C) deviation analysis. Segment-level deviation was used to assess the reliability of robotic pick-and-place execution, while global deviation quantified spatial drift introduced by the AR-based registration during repeated relocation cycles.
Cluster deviation analysis confirms consistent robotic pick-and-place accuracy across repeated assembly cycles, demonstrating reliable task-level execution. However, global deviation results reveal accumulated spatial drift caused by AR-based registration, indicating that the proposed workflow is most suitable for construction scenarios requiring moderate accuracy (˜ ±5 mm tolerance) rather than high-precision industrial fabrication.
The study’s accuracy was limited by the use of only two visual markers, increasing susceptibility to AR spatial drift during repeated registration. The geometric simplicity of the dry-stacked walls restricted evaluation of more complex construction scenarios, and the controlled laboratory lighting conditions did not reflect the variability of real construction environments. In addition, the robotic arm’s operational range was constrained by the geometry of the mobile platform. Future work should investigate the use of additional markers or sensor-fusion methods, evaluate performance in real on-site conditions, and explore improved mobile platform designs to extend reachability and robustness.
The study demonstrates that AR-assisted spatial anchoring can improve the accessibility of robotic bricklaying in construction by reducing reliance on complex simultaneous localisation and mapping-based localisation and costly autonomous platforms. The proposed workflow allows operators to manually reposition modular robotic units using intuitive AR feedback, enabling reliable assembly without advanced robotics expertise. This approach lowers implementation complexity, reduces training requirements and supports wider adoption of collaborative robotic systems in small-to-medium construction projects.
The study supports a more human-centred model of construction automation by positioning robots as collaborative tools rather than replacements for labour. By simplifying robot operation through AR guidance, the proposed workflow can reduce workforce resistance often associated with job displacement and technological complexity. The system allows operators to retain users' agency through manual robot repositioning while benefiting from robotic precision during execution. This approach may facilitate workforce upskilling, reduce physical strain and improve safety, while broadening access to robotic technologies across diverse construction teams, thereby supporting more inclusive and socially sustainable adoption of automation in the construction sector.
This study contributes (1) a validated human-in-the-loop workflow for large-scale robotic bricklaying that combines human-guided robot relocation with robot-executed geometric placement, (2) an AR-based spatial anchoring method using low-fidelity visual markers to support repeated robot re-registration during large-scale assembly, and (3) an AR-supported inverse-kinematics feasibility visualisation that enables informed relocation decisions across repeated construction cycles.
1. Section 1: Introduction
The construction industry has historically lagged in adopting automation and digital technologies, particularly in labour-intensive tasks such as bricklaying (Demirkesen and Tezel, 2021). The continued reliance on manual labour has contributed to persistent operational inefficiencies. The growing skilled labour shortages and exposure to intense weather conditions compound these inefficiencies (Dong et al., 2025).
In recent years, several automated robotic solutions for on-site bricklaying have been proposed to improve productivity and construction quality. Despite significant advancements in robotic technologies, these systems often face implementation barriers, such as Han et al. (2021), Liang et al. (2021), Ruttico et al. (2024) pointed out that the limited success of such systems can be attributed to logistical constraints in system setup and implementation complexity, particularly in small-to-medium construction sites where rapid deployment and flexibility are prioritised over full automation. Furthermore, high initial investment costs have long been recognised as a major barrier to the adoption of construction robotics (Bock, 2015; Pan et al., 2018, pp. 88, 90), and recent studies indicate that this challenge remains largely unresolved (Mishra, 2025, p. 889; Onososen and Musonda, 2023, p. 520), particularly for small-to-medium construction firms.
As highlighted in Franze et al. (2025), Liang et al. (2024), and Ruttico et al. (2024), workforce resistance also remains a significant barrier to the adoption of robotic technologies, as fully automated robotic systems are often perceived by workers as a threat to job security, rather than supportive tools. This perception highlights the need for a more human-centric technological approach consistent with Construction 5.0 paradigm. While Construction 4.0 focused on full automation and efficiency, Construction 5.0 advocates for collaborative environments in which humans and robots operate as complementary partners (Garcés, 2025; Marinelli, 2023). In this context, human–robot collaboration (HRC) refers to systems that use a human-in-the-loop (HITL) approach, enabling workers to supervise, guide or directly coordinate robotic functions. Such configurations encourage users to perceive robotic systems as tools that augment professional capabilities rather than displace them. In this study, the Construction 5.0 framework is strictly used as a contextual foundation to frame the human-centred and collaborative nature of the robotic practices discussed.
Building on this motivation, this research explores a low-fidelity HRC system that integrates users into large-scale robotic fabrication workflows, particularly during the relocation and manoeuvring of modular robotic units. The proposed workflow assigns global spatial decision-making to the human operator, while maintaining fine-grained geometric accuracy through robot-executed pick-and-place operations. This division of labour supports operator agency in managing the spatial progression of the assembly process while maintaining consistent placement precision. However, incorporating manual relocation introduces new challenges, including the need for accurate positioning, optimal placement relative to the work area and reliable spatial registration of the robotic unit on site.
To address this, the proposed system uses an augmented reality (AR) head-mounted device (HMD) and low-fidelity visual markers to support users in relocating the robotic bricklaying system throughout the brick wall assembly process. Although AR-assisted robotic applications have previously been explored in the context of bricklaying, existing implementations primarily emphasise exploratory and design-oriented workflows. For instance, some systems enable users to design masonry-like wall structures through AR interfaces (Song et al., 2021b), or facilitate interactive, user-driven fabrication processes in which brick selection and placement are determined manually (Zhang and Ruttico, 2025). While effective for design-centric fabrication workflows, these systems do not accurately reflect the procedures of real-world construction. In contrast, our research focuses on assembly-scale automation, combining robotic pick-and-place execution with AR-supported computational workflow to enable the operator to visualise robotic reachability and block-placement feasibility. The AR system superimposes these parameters and limitations in real time to help the operator determine optimal robot repositioning strategies, thus streamlining human–robot collaboration during continuous wall construction.
Our paper contributes a validated, construction-oriented HRC workflow for large-scale robotic bricklaying that intentionally combines human-guided robot relocation with robot-executed geometric placement. The proposed approach focuses on an AR-based spatial anchoring workflow in which the anchored robot’s position is used to drive real-time inverse kinematics (IK) feasibility visualisation during repeated human-guided robot relocation. The workflow is empirically validated through full-scale wall construction experiments, demonstrating that consistent, construction-grade spatial accuracy can be maintained across multiple relocation and re-registration cycles using low-fidelity visual markers. The findings provide empirical evidence on the viability of AR-supported HITL approaches as an alternative operational model for construction robotics in scenarios prioritising deployment accessibility over high-precision automation.
The remainder of this paper explains this research and is organised as follows. Section 2 explores existing robotic bricklaying and AR-supported HRC systems for architectural design. Section 3 details the proposed AR-enabled HRC study approach and describes the experimental setup. Section 4 presents the findings, focusing on the usability of AR-HMD for large-scale robotic pick-and-place procedures. Section 5 concludes with key findings, limitations and future research directions.
2. Section 2: Related work
The following section builds on previous research by examining existing robotic bricklaying systems, identifying their limitations and assessing how they address the challenges associated with large-scale bricklaying tasks, such as robot localisation and adaptability. Our study extends these approaches by investigating how AR can support a HITL approach in large-scale pick-and-place procedures with a modular robotic unit. Specifically, we use AR to enhance the spatial alignment of the robotic system through real-time visual feedback.
2.1 Robotic bricklaying solutions for on-site construction
The concept of automating in situ masonry construction has existed for more than a century, beginning with a 1904 patent for an automated bricklaying machine (Thomson, 1904). The first documented on-site prototype of an automated linear bricklaying machine appeared in the 1960s. However, advances in automation did not accelerate until the late 1980s (Altobelli et al., 1993). Innovations ranged from balancer and handling assistance machines, to advanced robotic systems, including the Robotic Construction System for Computer Aided Construction (ROCCO) (Gambao et al., 2000), and the Blockbot (A. H. Slocum and Schena, 1988).
2.2 Commercial robotic bricklaying systems
More recently, automation in masonry has seen some commercial success with systems like the Semi-Automated Mason (SAM), Automated Brick Laying Robot (ABLR) and Hadrian X, which build on previous articulated robotic arm designs. Both SAM100 (Madsen, 2019) and ABLR (ABLR, 2024) consist of a robotic manipulator mounted on a track. Although effective in controlled environments, the system’s high cost and lengthy setup time have significantly hindered its widespread adoption in the industry (Dörfler et al., 2016; Madsen, 2019). Furthermore, their reliance on track-based navigation limits their adaptability in unstructured settings. To address this issue, Hadrian X opts for a telescopic robotic boom mounted with an integrated brick conveyor on a mobile truck (Oliver, 2020), which gives the robotic system the flexibility to manoeuvre in an unstructured environment. However, Hadrian X requires significant space for truck manoeuvring, which limits its applicability on compact construction sites.
2.3 Research advancement in robotic bricklaying
2.3.1 Multi-Robot coordination for bricklaying.
In addition to these commercial systems, researchers have explored alternative robotic bricklaying methods for constructing large-scale in situ masonry structures. One such approach involves a multi-robot system in which multiple robots are distributed across a large construction site, each performing specific tasks while collaborating in real time. Researchers such as Asani et al. (2024) and Bruun et al. (2021) have investigated how multiple robotic arms can operate in synchronisation, even with overlapping workspaces. However, the investigation focuses exclusively on stationary robotic arms. Xu et al. (2019) also applied a similar concept to construct three undulated brick walls. The robotic arms were repositioned multiple times during the assembly process (Xu et al., 2019, p. 90), but the study did not provide a detailed explanation of the relocation procedure.
2.3.2 Mobile robotic system and simultaneous localisation and mapping for construction.
In recent years, mobile construction robots have emerged as a viable solution for large-scale construction due to their versatility, modularity and adaptability (Zeng et al., 2024). As modular systems, mobile construction robots typically include a mechanical robotic arm mounted on a mobile robot chassis. This configuration allows the end effector to reach the desired position through coordinated movements of both the chassis and the robotic arm (Klingensmith et al., 2016). These modular systems often incorporate simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) algorithm for site mapping and navigation. Scholars such as Dörfler et al. (2016), Helm et al. (2014), and Kirgis et al. (2016) demonstrated how point cloud data generated by LiDAR sensors can be used in tandem with SLAM algorithms for robot relocalisation. As outlined in Dörfler et al., 2016 (pp. 212–213), the robot localisation process begins with 3D scans of the robot environment, and the point cloud data is then used to determine the relative transformation from the initial robot position to the reference robot position. Similar to Dörfler et al. (2016), BRIX also incorporates LiDAR sensors into the robotic system to map its environment. In addition, BRIX used sensor fusion tools to facilitate autonomous navigation, thereby offering robotic technologies greater adaptability and flexibility for navigating the construction site (Ruttico et al., 2024). Although these mobile construction robots have the potential for robotic construction procedures on-site, such solutions typically involve higher system complexity and operator training requirements (Diginsa et al., 2023; Yarovoi and Cho, 2024). Therefore, our work does not argue that SLAM-based autonomy is infeasible; instead, it explores a complementary deployment strategy that prioritises rapid setup, operator agency and reduced system complexity.
2.4 Augmented reality for human-robot collaboration
With the maturation of AR technology, there has been growing interest in exploring its role in facilitating human-robot interaction (HRI), especially in construction (Aivaliotis et al., 2024). Scholars such as Loy et al. (2025), Zhang (2024), Mitterberger, Ercan Jenny et al. (2022), Peng et al. (2018) have demonstrated AR’s capabilities to support fluid, intuitive HRI, allowing users to directly engage with the robotic fabrication process through gestural input. This growing interest in AR-supported robot interaction is driven by intuitive, fluid user interfaces that allow novice users to communicate seamlessly with robotic systems that previously required domain-specific expertise.
In terms of robotic bricklaying procedures, Song et al. (2021a, 2023) investigated how AR environment can enhance user awareness by assisting novice users in visualising robot movements, spatial constraints and assembly sequences. To facilitate human-robot collaboration (HRC), they also deployed visual markers throughout the shared workspace, providing spatially anchored AR guidance for users applying adhesive to blockwork before the robotic arm places a subsequent block (Song et al., 2023, p. 720). Although sufficient to facilitate HRC, the study found that spatial drift occurred throughout the assembly process (Song et al., 2023, p. 722). C. Slocum et al. (2021) describe spatial drift as a gradual, unintended misalignment between virtual elements and their corresponding physical locations. Similarly, Zhang and Ruttico (2025) explored the use of these visual markers to facilitate large-scale interactive robotic assembly. The authors used its spatial anchoring capabilities to position robotic systems throughout the construction site, allowing users to manually select brick placements and assembly sequences. Their study demonstrated that visual markers are effective in spatially registering robotic systems within a cyber-physical environment. While their proposed HRI system is well-suited for design-oriented tasks, it also introduces additional interactional burdens and complexities into HRI workflows. To simplify the user experience, our workflow integrates AR with a computational pipeline to automate robotic pick-and-place procedures while using the AR interface primarily to visualise critical spatial information, as articulated in Section 3. This visual information guides users during the relocation of robotic units during large-scale robotic assembly.
3. Section 3: Method
The following sections provide an overview of the design setup, task distribution between the robotic system and the user, the system architecture and the programming logic embedded in the computational pipeline.
3.1 Overview
As indicated by Ang et al. (2024), a fully automated robotic application for on-site construction can pose challenges due to its limited adaptability in unstructured construction environments. To address this, our assembly workflow adopts a turn-taking approach that leverages the complementary skills of a human operator and a collaborative robotic arm (as illustrated in Figure 1), where global spatial decisions are intentionally assigned to the human operator, while placement execution and geometric accuracy are handled by the robotic system.
The developed AR-assisted HRI system consists of four turn-taking steps as indicated in Figure 2: (A) The users launch the Grasshopper definition on their workstation, which contains a predefined CAD model of the masonry-like wall structure. On the other hand, the user also activates the Fologram application (Jahn et al., 2018) on the AR-HMD and joins the AR session using a login code generated within the Grasshopper environment. (B) Once the Grasshopper and AR-HMD are synchronised, the user registers the digital masonry-like wall to the physical environment using a pre-established visual marker. A similar registration process is used to locate the modular robotic arm within the shared digital-physical workspace. The spatial coordinates and orientation of the robotic arm unit allow the computational pipeline to compute the positional feasibility of wooden blocks relative to the robotic arm. This information is then presented visually in the AR environment in real time to help users make more informed decisions. (C) Based on this visual feedback, the user can either manually reposition the robotic arm unit and update its coordinates using the visual marker or transmit the robotic command to the physical robot. (D) Once the assembly process is completed, a virtual notification appears on the user’s mobile device, signalling the end of the current cycle. The workflow can then progress to the subsequent assembly phase by relocating the robotic arm.
3.2 Task allocation
Task distribution plays a crucial role in establishing the dynamic within a human-robot team, as it leverages the complementary skill sets of humans and collaborative robotic arm (Kunic et al., 2025; Mitterberger, Ercan Jenny et al., 2022), preserves human agency within an HRC scenario (Han, 2023) and improves system predictability (Hopko et al., 2022). The task allocation for our developed system is illustrated in Figure 3.
Throughout the assembly process, the operator is responsible for intuitive and cognitively demanding tasks, including (i) registering both the digital representation of the masonry-like wall and the robotic unit in the shared cyber-physical workspace, and (ii) physically repositioning the robotic arm during successive assembly stages using AR guidance. These actions allow the operator to manage large-scale spatial progression of the assembly process and respond flexibly to workspace constraints.
On the other hand, fine-grained geometric placement is fully managed by the robotic system. Feasible block placements are computed via inverse-kinematics-based reachability analysis within the computational pipeline, and all pick-and-place motions are executed autonomously by the robotic arm based on the digital model’s location. Therefore, placement accuracy is determined by robot kinematics, motion planning and the quality of spatial registration, rather than by manual dexterity. While operator experience may influence task efficiency and relocation strategy, it does not directly control continuous motion execution or block placement precision.
3.3 System architecture
The overall hardware setup consists of a six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, UR16e, with a 16 kg payload, equipped with an industrial-grade gripper, Robotiq 2F-85. To extend the operational range of the collaborative robotic arm, it is mounted on a mobile platform, allowing users to manually reposition it throughout the assembly process. In addition, this mobile platform functions as a pick-up station for the wooden blocks. For AR integration, we use the Microsoft HoloLens 2, and communication between all hardware components is managed via a modem and a Windows 11 PC.
3.4 Programming assembly logic
Despite being mounted on a modular unit, the UR16e has a designated operational range of 900 mm (Universal Robots, 2024), which directly defines the spatial boundary within which the robotic arm can operate effectively. This operational range is further restricted by the geometry of the modular platform, as illustrated in Figure 4. These factors influence the maximum height of the masonry-like walls in this study.
Apart from spatial considerations, assembly sequences heavily influence the feasibility of the robotic assembly procedure. Our system adopts a similar assembly approach, as first proposed by Slocum and Schena (1988, p. 113), to mitigate potential collision risk with previously placed wooden blocks and to avoid overhanging blocks that could obstruct subsequent robotic operation (refer to Figure 5). Our presented assembly logic ensures the assembly process remains adaptable to large-scale construction tasks while highlighting the unique spatial challenges inherent to the modular robotic system.
4. Section 4: Results and validation
To evaluate the usability of the proposed AR-assisted robotic system, the research team conducted internal tests to assess the robotic assembly’s accuracy and the robustness of AR spatial registration. The evaluation focused specifically on technical feasibility, repeatability and spatial accuracy of the proposed workflow, rather than on user performance or skill acquisition. The experimental setup involved constructing two masonry-like wall structures, designated Wall 01 and Wall 02. The wall designs were preconfigured in the digital environment, and the structural integrity of both walls was validated using Phyx.gh plugin (Kao and Nguyen, 2019) in Grasshopper, ensuring that any assembly errors were not due to design flaws. Instead, the inconsistencies likely stemmed from the limitations inherent in the AR spatial localisation method.
Each wall configuration was assembled under identical environmental conditions to assess the accuracy of the robotic placement and the robustness of AR spatial registration. Each dry-stacked wall covered approximately 0.1 × 3.0 meters and consisted of 138 wooden blocks (shown in Figure 6). The robotic arm unit was repositioned 7 times during Wall 01 assembly and 9 times during Wall 02 assembly using the AR-based spatial anchoring technique. The total assembly duration, including the repositioning intervals, was approximately 1 h 15 min for Wall 01 and 1 h 20 min for Wall 02. The robotic arm was deliberately operated at a maximum speed of 120 mm/s to ensure safe and reliable HRC. Multiple robotic repositionings were required to complete each wall due to the robotic arm’s limited reach.
After the wall construction was completed, each wall was 3D scanned twice using an Intel RealSense D415 depth camera. The resulting point clouds were post-processed using CloudCompare (CloudCompare, 2003), an open-source software. To improve data quality, both Statistical Outlier Removal filter and the noise filter were used to eliminate outliers and any noise (Kong et al., 2019).
Subsequently, the filtered point clouds were registered to their respective 3D digital model using manual alignment followed by iterative closest point refinement. Cloud-to-cloud distance between each 3D scan and its corresponding 3D digital model was then calculated to evaluate the global deviation. The global deviation serves as a proxy metric for the quality of the AR spatial registration, as it captures positional errors introduced during assembly.
As illustrated in Figure 7, our proposed approach demonstrated consistent spatial accuracy, with global deviations of approximately 2.66 mm ± 2.14 mm for Wall 01 and 2.90 mm ± 2.05 mm for Wall 02, despite multiple manual relocations and re-registration of the modular robotic unit throughout the assembly process. While the measured deviations do not meet high-precision industrial fabrication tolerances, they are well within acceptable limits for many construction scenarios. The consistency across the walls also demonstrates the potential of AR-assisted robotic assembly for tasks requiring moderate spatial accuracy.
In addition, the scanned point clouds were segmented into clusters corresponding to each assembly cycle (as illustrated in Figure 8). Each segment was independently realigned to its corresponding region in the digital model to assess the accuracy of local placement and the repeatability of the robotic system. The mean deviation and deviation for each wall segment in both walls are reported in Tables 1 and 2. The results indicate that the mean deviations are consistently low, suggesting that the robotic arm reliably placed wooden blocks close to their intended location in each cycle. The similarity of the deviation values between segments further confirms the system’s consistent performance throughout the assembly process, indicating that robotic execution performance remained relatively stable across repeated human-guided relocation cycles.
In summary, these findings validate the feasibility of using AR-based spatial anchoring for large-scale robotic assembly procedures with a ± 5.0 mm tolerance. Although this approach might not meet the stringent demands of high-precision industrial fabrication, they are well within acceptable limits for many construction scenarios, including non-load-bearing masonry walls. For example, the Queensland Standards and Tolerances Guide specify a maximum allowable deviation of ± 5 mm from a plane surface for masonry walls (p 19), which applies to block construction in typical building practice. Accordingly, the ± 5 mm tolerance achieved in this study aligns with established construction standards and regulatory expectations, supporting the practical applicability of the proposed workflow in real-world construction contexts.
5. Section 5: Discussion
The results demonstrate that the proposed AR-assisted spatial anchoring approach provides a viable low-fidelity localisation strategy for construction robotic assembly. The measured global deviations indicate sufficient positional accuracy for practical applications where moderate tolerance levels are acceptable, such as non-structural operations. These findings are in line with previous studies such as Dörfler et al. (2016) and Kyaw et al. (2023), which similarly reported spatial drift as an inherent limitation when relying on AR-based visual markers for asset registration. Despite this global drift, the segment-level deviations reported in Tables 1 and 2 demonstrate consistent accuracy during localised pick-and-place operations, confirming the reliability of the robotic manipulation process at a granular scale.
Building on the interaction paradigms proposed by Zhang and Ruttico (2025), which emphasised continuous user-driven selection and placement interactions in AR environments, this study contributes to an alternative interaction by integrating IK within the computational platform to provide real-time visual feedback on block reachability relative to the robotic arm’s pose. As illustrated in Figure 9, this feedback enables robotic operator(s) to immediately distinguish feasible from infeasible placements, thereby reducing the need for continuous manual selection and decision-making during assembly. Such feasibility checks can improve workflow efficiency and can be particularly attractive for labour-intensive construction scenarios where cognitive load and task repetition are significant concerns.
The deliberate choice of using visual markers was to support rapid setup, transparency and ease of use for non-specialist operators, rather than maximal autonomy. This design decision aligns closely with the research by Song et al. (2021a) and Alexi et al. (2024), who highlighted the importance of operator confidence and system legibility in HRC for construction. By prioritising ease of deployment and HITL interaction, the proposed approach supports wider adoption of robotic assembly systems, particularly in scenarios where the overhead of fully autonomous navigation may outweigh its benefits.
While this study does not include direct benchmarking against SLAM-based localisation or fully autonomous navigation systems, the intent is not to position the AR spatial anchoring technique as a replacement for mature autonomous methods. As summarised in Table 3, the contribution instead addresses a different problem space, in which the proposed workflow complements existing robotic infrastructure by offering a lower-barrier solution for potential technology adoption. The AR-assisted and computational workflow demonstrates how HRC can support global spatial coordination while maintaining reliable robotic execution at the task level. Prior studies have shown that limited adoption of fully autonomous construction robotics is often driven not by technical infeasibility, but by implementation complexity, high initial investment costs and logistical setup demands (Han et al., 2021; Liang et al., 2021; Ruttico et al., 2024). In this context, the proposed approach demonstrates how HITL coordination, combined with lightweight AR infrastructure, can reduce system complexity while enabling repeatable, construction-grade robotic assembly.
5.1 Limitations and future work
Several limitations related to the experimental setup and system design should be considered when interpreting the study results. Firstly, the system relied on only two visual markers: one for spatially anchoring the digital wall structure and another for registering the modular robotic unit. Although this approach simplified system setup and enabled rapid deployment, it likely contributed to the observed positional inaccuracies caused by marker drift. Prior studies by Kyaw et al. (2023) and Zhang and Ruttico (2025) suggest that increasing the number of visual markers or combining them with additional sensing modalities, such as sensor fusion or SLAM-based localisation, could improve localisation robustness by providing richer spatial reference information.
Secondly, limitations are associated with the sensing hardware used for accuracy evaluation. The Intel RealSense D415 depth camera used in this study exhibits an absolute depth error of approximately ± 2 mm at close range (100–500 mm) and a relative depth error of approximately 2% at distances of up to 1.5 m, based on ISO 10360–13 evaluation procedures (RealSense Help Center, 2026). Considering that the measured global deviations in this study ranged from approximately 2.6 to 2.9 mm, the scanning device’s uncertainty is comparable in magnitude to the reported errors. Therefore, the deviation results should be interpreted as indicative of construction-level spatial accuracy rather than exact metrological measurements. While the results indicate that visual-marker-based spatial anchoring is suitable for moderate-precision tasks, future studies using higher-accuracy scanning equipment could enable a more rigorous assessment of positional deviations.
Thirdly, the geometric complexity was constrained by the dry-stacking approach, which required relatively stable and straightforward wall configurations. Although this simplified experimental validation, it limited the exploration of more expressive or structurally demanding assemblies. Future research could extend the system to bonded or adhesive-based construction methods, enabling more complex geometries and structural behaviours.
Fourthly, all experiments were conducted under consistent laboratory lighting. Real-world construction environments often involve uneven illumination and surface variability. Evaluating the proposed system under such conditions will be essential to assess its robustness and practical applicability in on-site settings.
Fifthly, the current mobile platform design constrained the robotic arm’s effective operational range (as depicted in Figure 4). Future platform iterations could integrate compact hydraulic lifting mechanisms or adjustable bases, similar to those proposed in Mitterberger et al. (2022) and Ruttico et al. (2024), to enhance reachability and flexibility during large-scale assembly tasks.
Finally, the present validation focused on technical feasibility and system robustness, with experimental trials conducted by the research team. Future work will extend this evaluation through broader user studies to investigate socio-technical aspects such as cognitive load, interface intuitiveness and user trust in human–robot collaborative construction workflows. Section 6: Conclusion.
This paper presented an AR-assisted HRC system that uses HMD to support large-scale assembly tasks. The study contributes to AR-assisted robotic applications in architecture and construction by integrating real-time IK-based feasibility analyses within a HITL workflow that prioritises deployment accessibility and reduces technological barriers to mobile collaborative robotic adoption. Through full-scale experimental validation in a controlled laboratory environment, the results demonstrate that consistent spatial accuracy can be maintained across repeated human-guided relocation cycles.
Rather than pursuing maximal autonomy, this work highlights how construction-oriented deployment considerations can be addressed through a human–robot collaborative approach. By allocating global spatial decision-making to the human operator while preserving reliable robotic execution at the task level, the proposed workflow reflects a pragmatic operational model aligned with Construction 5.0 principles.
Overall, our findings establish a foundation for AR-supported HITL workflows in construction robotics, particularly in scenarios where flexibility, usability and adoption feasibility are prioritised over full automation. This work positions AR-assisted spatial anchoring not as a replacement for autonomous systems, but as a complementary strategy that broadens the applicability of robotic assembly in real-world construction contexts.
The authors would like to express sincere gratitude to the School of Architecture and Built Environment for providing the facilities, tools, and support necessary to conduct this research. The authors would also like to thank the School of Design for generously loaning the 3D scanning equipment, which was instrumental in supporting the research process.
Supplementary information
Original contributions presented in the study are included in the article and are also openly available at Link to a PDF of the cited article. under a GPL V3 license. In particular, they include (1) scanned point cloud data from assembled walls, (2) a full version of this paper, (3) the Grasshopper definitions developed throughout this study, and (4) a full resolution of the illustrations.










