Robots that can weld, lift and bolt are being developed to help cope with a shortage of human workers at Japanese construction sites. However, their use will be limited to night shifts when no human workers will be nearby due to safety and regulatory concerns. Japanese construction company Shimizu Corp. showed off several robots Monday, including one already in use at construction sites that picked up a big pile of boards and took them into an elevator. Shimizu Corp.'s Robo-Welder is demonstrated during a press tour to the major Japanese construction company's robot laboratory in Tokyo, Monday, April 23, 2018. The Robo-Welder has a robotic arm that uses laser shape measurement to determine the contours of a groove, or channel, on a steel column to be welded.

The company on Monday demonstrated robots that can pick up a pile of boards and take them to an elevator. It says the Robo-Welder and Robo-Buddy, with twisting mechanical arms, will be deployed at construction sites later this year, though because of safety concerns they will be used during night shifts when most human workers are not around.

TOKYO – Major Japanese construction company Shimizu Corp. has developed robots that can weld, lift and bolt for use at building sites. The company on Monday demonstrated robots that can pick up a pile of boards and take them to an elevator. It says the Robo-Welder and Robo-Buddy, with twisting mechanical arms, will be deployed at construction sites later this year, though because of safety concerns they will be used during night shifts when most human workers are not around. The company said that most construction work is so delicate and complex that the robots can handle only about 1 percent of the work. Japan is undergoing a construction boom but lacks enough workers to do the jobs -- a problem seen in many regions of the world, including the U.S.