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CU-Brick: Cable-Driven Bricklaying Robot

CU-Brick bricklaying robot overview CU-Brick cable-driven parallel robot in operation CU-Brick robot and brick structure progress CU-Brick construction site close-up CU-Brick brick structure completed view CU-Brick brick structure view

Project Overview

CU-Brick is a cable-driven parallel robot built for automated bricklaying. At the Yard for Environmental Sustainability (YES) Pavilion, it constructed a permeable brick structure across a 13 m by 9 m work area, reaching 2.5 m in height with 40 layers and more than 5,800 bricks.

Fiducial-marker localization and 3D scanning support real-time calibration, while an elevation system shifts the robot's workspace to build taller structures without cable interference.

TVB News: CU-Brick media coverage
Now News: CU-Brick media coverage
i-CABLE News: CU-Brick media coverage
RTHK News: CU-Brick media coverage

Selected Contributions

  • Designed and implemented the cable-driven robot for a full-scale construction project.
  • Delivered autonomous construction of a 2.5 m-high, 40-layer structure using more than 5,800 bricks.
  • Integrated fiducial markers and high-resolution 3D spatial data for calibration and localization.
  • Designed and manufactured the robot's electrical and control boxes.
  • Co-authored and presented the CU-Brick paper at CableCon 2025.
  • Supported public demonstrations and coverage by TVB News, Now News, i-CABLE News, and RTHK.
  • Helped prepare the project for YPEC 2025, where it was named second runner-up in the Open Section, and for the 2026 OSH Innovation and Technology Award, where it received an Open Category Merit Award.