Research project · ZIM · 2026–2027
SmartMark: The robot that shows the tradesperson where to drill.
Socket, cable chase, drilling point – today transferred from the plan to the wall with a folding rule and chalk. SmartMark takes the information straight from the BIM model and projects it by laser to where it is needed: onto wall, ceiling and floor.
Updated: September 2026
What is SmartMark?
SmartMark is a cooperation project by Open Experience and GFTN e.V., an affiliated institute of Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule Darmstadt), funded under the Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand, ZIM) of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The project is developing a mobile assistance system based on a four-legged robot that projects target information from the BIM model – drill holes, chases, fixing points – onto building components by laser, explains to the specialists by voice what it is showing, and checks after execution whether the work matches the plan. The project runs from July 2026 to December 2027.
From plan to wall: the last meter is still analog
The start of a construction phase lays the foundation for all subsequent trades – especially electrical, plumbing and ventilation. Despite BIM, the transfer on site is usually done by hand: tape measure, spirit level, chalk, laser measuring device.
- Error-proneEvery manual transfer is a source of error. Deviations are often only noticed when rework becomes necessary.
- Time-consumingMarking out costs hours – hours that are missing elsewhere when skilled workers are scarce.
- No feedbackWhether a hole is in the right place is not systematically checked by anyone today – and the result does not flow back into the model.
- Gap in the state of the artStationary projectors need manual alignment, layout robots only print on floors, AR glasses display without a physical reference. Mobile, on wall and ceiling, linked to the BIM model and interactive – that does not exist yet.
SmartMark closes precisely this gap: digital construction planning, physical marking and quality assurance in one mobile system – directly for the worker on the construction site.
What the robot can do
Six modules, one system – from moving through the building shell to checking the work carried out.
Laser projection from the BIM model
Drilling, chase and mounting positions are extracted from the IFC model and projected as points, lines, circles or text onto wall, ceiling and floor – including inclined surfaces.
Voice control and explanation
The tradesperson says or points to what they want to know. A language model interprets the request, selects the matching object in the model and explains the context and work step.
Autonomous movement in the building shell
A four-legged robot moves over rubble, steps and uneven floors and localizes itself in the model via LiDAR, camera and building features.
Automatic installation check
After execution, a camera checks whether the hole or socket is in the right place – and reports deviations back to the BIM model.
Tablet interface
Plan tasks, select projections, see the target/actual comparison – on a tablet, with no prior robotics knowledge.
Safe around people
Laser class 2 or 3R, automatic shutdown when people are in the projection area, defined rules of behavior for pauses and retreat.
What Open Experience develops
Our subproject is entitled "Design and development of a BIM-based projection and inspection solution for site-ready target marking" – the digital chain from the semantic evaluation of the model to the projection onto the building component.
- BIM target extractionAutomated interpretation of IFC models to identify target markings semantically – not just coordinates, but "the socket next to the door".
- Adaptive projection unitAn industrial laser projector on the robot that takes position, inclination, surface and lighting conditions into account and aligns the marking precisely.
- Precise localization in the modelBuilding features from the BIM model are matched with what the robot sees – jointly with GFTN.
- Inspection and feedbackCamera-based verification of the work carried out and feeding the result back into the model – for documentation and quality assurance.
- Software stack and interfaceBIM interface, visualization, target/actual comparison and the tablet app that makes the robot operable for specialists.
SmartMark builds on our robot platform OXI and on construction documentation with Construction Defects and Construction Photos: what the robot checks ends up as evidence in the project.
The consortium
Two subprojects, one system: GFTN researches robotics and interaction, Open Experience builds the chain from BIM to projection and verification. Our collaboration with Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences goes back to the digiBau project, from which DIGIBAU 360 emerged.
Open Experience GmbH
Karlsruhe · BIM target extraction, projection unit, localization in the model (jointly), inspection, software stack and tablet interface.
GFTN e.V.
Darmstadt · Gesellschaft zur Förderung technischen Nachwuchses Darmstadt e.V., an affiliated institute of Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences: mobile robotics platform, locomotion on the construction site, semantic interpretation with language models, localization and safe human-robot collaboration.
Funded by
Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand (ZIM)
Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie) on the basis of a resolution of the German Bundestag. Funding reference KK6093601FG5.
AiF Projekt GmbH
Project management agency of the BMWE for ZIM cooperation projects – provides technical and administrative support for the project throughout its entire duration.
Frequently asked questions
What is a quadruped robot?
A four-legged walking robot – in this project a Unitree Go2. Unlike wheeled or tracked vehicles, it moves over rubble, cables, steps and stairs, which makes it suitable for the building shell.
How accurate are the projections?
Accuracy depends on the interplay of localization, alignment and projector. The project uses industrial laser projectors of the kind commonly used in the assembly industry for millimeter-precise markings. How precisely this can be achieved under construction-site conditions is one of the central research questions.
Is the laser dangerous?
Class 2 or 3R lasers are used. Additional sensors switch off the projection when people are in the projection area; work areas are marked and staff are trained.
Does SmartMark replace the tradesperson?
No. The robot marks, explains and checks – drilling, chasing and installing remain manual work. SmartMark takes over the transferring and re-measuring.
Can I buy SmartMark?
Not yet. SmartMark is a research project running until the end of 2027; the result is a prototype. If you are interested in a trial on your own construction site, you can contact the project team.
What data does the system need?
A BIM model in IFC format containing the relevant installations. SmartMark extracts the target positions from it automatically.
Would you like to test SmartMark on your construction site?
We are looking for construction companies and electrical, plumbing and ventilation contractors to test the prototype under real conditions. Get in touch.