Chapter 8: How AI Powered Robots Are Reinventing Construction and Digital Craftsmanship with Selen Ercan

What happens when construction robotics, AI, and on-site automation finally move from research labs into real buildings? Few people can explain this transformation better than today’s guest.We welcome Selen Ercan, architect, ETH Zurich researcher, and co-founder of Layered — a construction robotics start-up developing mobile robotic systems for spray-based plastering, coating, and painting directly on the job site.Her work sits at the intersection of AI in construction, digital fabrication, and the future of skilled labor.In this episode, Selen Ercan: - Unveils the layers of how construction robots can automate surface finishing and solve labor shortages. - Decodes the complexity of real on-site deployment: material behavior, sensing, computer vision, and human-robot workflows. - Builds clarity on the future of construction automation, robotics adoption, and scalable business models.3 Reasons to Listen:Understand how AI-powered robots operate in unpredictable construction environments.Learn what Layered discovered in its first pilot projects, including efficiency gains and human reactions.See how automation will reshape skilled labor, safety, quality, and digital workflows in construction 2030.If this conversation inspired you, don’t forget to subscribe, share it, and follow Layered to explore the future of robotics in construction and AI-driven fabrication.Chapters00:00 - 01:30 Introduction to DT Vector and Today's Guest01:31 - 08:19 Selen Ercan's Journey in Digital Fabrication08:20 - 26:08 The Development and Impact of Layered26:09 - 37:16 Challenges and Feedback from Pilot Projects37:17 - 01:07:24 Future Vision and Market Adoption