Through the “Pathfinder Challenge,” the European Innovation Council supports groundbreaking technologies with high transformative potential. However, competition for funding is extremely fierce. In the EIC Pathfinder Challenge “Toward Autonomous Robot Collectives Delivering Collaborative Tasks in Dynamic, Unstructured Construction Environments,” the University of Stuttgart secured funding for two successful projects in 2026: SCALAR and COBRAS. Both projects are coordinated by the Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD) and will each receive approximately €4 million in funding.
"This extraordinary double achievement underscores the University of Stuttgart's leading international position in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC). At the same time, these new projects are boosting our visibility worldwide as a research hub for the digital transformation of the construction industry,” says Prof. Achim Menges, director of the Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD) at the University of Stuttgart . Menges is also the spokesperson for the Stuttgart Cluster of Excellence IntCDC , to which SCALAR and COBRAS are affiliated. Both projects focus on autonomous multi-robot systems for construction sites. Research will begin in November 2026. The projects are scheduled to last three years.
Urgently Needed: Greater productivity and sustainability in the construction industry
The global demand for housing, buildings, and infrastructure is steadily increasing. To meet this demand, construction would have to increase significantly and proceed more quickly – but a shortage of workers is making this increasingly difficult. SCALAR and COBRAS aim to boost productivity in the construction industry with the help of autonomous robotics. In addition, the researchers view robotics as a pioneer for resource-efficient and circular construction methods.
Robotics as part of a comprehensive, integrated approach
The two successful EIC projects are based on a research approach that the University of Stuttgart –and the ICD in particular – has developed over many years. "In the IntCDC Cluster of Excellence, we do not view robotics in isolation. To make the construction industry future-proof, we view design, planning, materials, component manufacturing, the construction site, and robotics as part of an integrated system,” says Menges. The researchers in Stuttgart call their new approach “co-design,” in which architecture, engineering, robotics, computer science, and other disciplines work closely together. Using a co-design approach, SCALAR and COBRAS are each exploring different areas of application for collaborative robotic systems on construction sites.
SCALAR: Autonomous construction machines and robots work as a team
Timber-based modular construction relies on a renewable raw material and is not only considered a forward-looking technology for greater sustainability, but also enables higher productivity in the construction industry. "Modular timber components are pre-fabricated off-site and then simply joined together on-site. This significantly shortens construction time,” says Nils Opgenorth, research group leader at the ICD. SCALAR is intended to make modular timber construction even more efficient. “We are developing a new timber construction system with universal connections and digital design processes. To complement this, a multi-scalar robotics platform is being developed – a fleet of autonomous construction machines that independently carry out the on-site assembly of the timber modules.” What makes this system unique is that it is suitable not only for new construction projects but also for the renovation of existing buildings.
The autonomous robotics platform is based on a division of labor: retrofitted cranes handle transport and rough positioning, while mobile robots handle the precision work. Before construction begins, the entire assembly process is digitally simulated in a virtual environment. On-site, a digital control system handles real-time coordination and ensures safety. The development of robust sensor technologies that can withstand dust, dirt, and challenging lighting conditions on construction sites will also play a key role.
In addition to the ICD, the Institute for System Dynamics (ISYS) at the University of Stuttgart is also participating in SCALAR. External partners include the Austrian Institute of Technology and the crane companies Liebherr and Jekko.
COBRAS: An intelligent robot swarm for circular lightweight structures
Space frames are highly material-efficient structural systems. Thanks to their modular design, they allow for large spans with minimal material usage and make complete disassembly and reuse possible. Nevertheless, their use has been limited so far. "The complex assembly process, which involves many individual components, makes construction very labor-intensive. Our goal is to fundamentally transform this process using autonomous robot swarms,” explains Samuel Leder, research group leader at the ICD.
The COBRAS research team aims to develop electrically powered mobile robots that can assemble space frame structures autonomously. The idea: Several small robots work together as a team and coordinate their actions autonomously and dynamically using swarm intelligence – without any central control. All robots in the swarm are identical. This has several advantages: Depending on the scope of the construction project, the number of robots can be adjusted flexibly. If a robot needs maintenance, the manufacturing process can continue uninterrupted with the other robots.
At the same time, the COBRAS project is focused on optimizing the structural systems themselves. Using digital methods, the goal is to minimize material consumption and maximize structural performance. As with SCALAR, the plan is to develop a modular system specifically designed for robotic assembly and disassembly. This allows the components to be fully reused and the structural systems to be adapted to new requirements or locations – an important step toward circular construction.
In addition to the ICD, the Institute for Structural Engineering and Structural Design (ITKE) at the University of Stuttgart, the Reconfigurable Robotics Lab (RRL) at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), and the Artificial Intelligence Research Lab (IRIDIA) at the Université Libre de Bruxelles are participating in COBRAS.
The EIC Pathfinder Program
The EIC Pathfinder is a funding program under “Horizon Europe.” Through “Pathfinder,” the European Innovation Council supports visionary research projects on radically new technologies in four strategic fields of the future. A total of 93 projects applied for the challenge titled “Towards autonomous robot collectives delivering collaborative tasks in dynamic, unstructured construction environments”. Eight of these were approved for funding, including the SCALAR and COBRAS projects.