The process of mudding drywall seams–which requires multiple applications of joint compound, followed by multiple drying and sanding cycles–has remained unchanged for decades. That all changed in June, when construction robotics company Canvas demonstrated its drywall finishing machine’s new feature, Level 4 Targeted Spray, at a big launch event inside its San Francisco headquarters.

San Francisco-based Canvas, which this year began leasing its schedule-compressing drywall finishing robot to self-perform general contractors and drywall contractors in the Bay Area, this month began its rapid expansion into new regions.

The Jaibot can now identify and map installed profiles of corrugated sheet metal deck structures, align with the digital plans and automatically adapt planned drill holes to pre-defined installation zones. 

Construction robotics startup Canvas announced that California Drywall–ranked the 9th largest drywall specialty contractor in the U.S.–has joined the Canvas Innovation Partner Program. 

Construction robotics startup Canvas announced its “Innovation Partner Program,” a collaborative partnership with six industry-leading contractors that share the company’s vision to build in bold new ways by putting better tools in the hands of skilled workers.

Hilti introduced its first robot, Jaibot, for semi-autonomous mobile ceiling-drilling.

Researchers at Japan’s Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Institute have built HRP-5P, a humanoid bot prototype, reported Engadget.