This report – made by Huazhong University of Science and Technology, & China Construction Third Bureau First Engineering Co., Ltd. (2026) – presents an autonomous robotic system developed for on-site detection and sorting of construction and demolition waste within the REINCARNATE project. The system was tested in a construction site in Wuhan, China.
Unlike traditional methods that rely on manual labor, the solution uses a mobile robot equipped with a robotic arm and advanced sensors, including LiDAR, RGB-D vision, and AI-based recognition.
Waste objects are identified using a YOLOv8-based detection system, localized in 3D, and then automatically grasped and sorted through an adaptive manipulation strategy.
Results show that the system performs effectively in semi-structured construction environments, improving efficiency, reducing manual effort, and enhancing safety. It also supports digital waste monitoring and circular construction goals within the REINCARNATE framework.