Xpanner, a specialist in construction automation solutions, has launched its flagship X1 Kit, which the company describes as “the first scalable physical AI-based retrofit solution designed to revolutionize construction site automation”.
The kit tackles prominent challenges such as labor shortages, safety hazards, and operational inefficiencies by deploying a flexible, equipment-agnostic system that can be easily integrated into existing construction machinery.
Since its formation in South Korea in 2020, Xpanner has been at the forefront of advancing construction technology. Founded by industry experts Henri Lee, David Shin, and Ryan Park, the company expanded to the US in 2023 with a goal to transform cutting-edge technology into something tangible and beneficial for operators on the ground.
They inaugurated this expansion with their Automation-Ready Package, which offers construction equipment like the Orteco Pile Driver and Develon Excavator, pre-configured with automation-enhancing features – such as remote control, smart attachments (tiltrotator), and precision guidance systems.
X1 further solidifies their vision, integrating Physical AI capabilities to transform existing construction machines across all brands and models into intelligent Software-Defined Machinery (SDM).
Henri Lee, CEO of Xpanner, says: “Our product roadmap over the past few years has led us to this pivotal moment. The launch of X1 offers a practical, accessible form of Physical AI that can drastically boost productivity by reducing costs and increasing efficiency by over 50 percent without necessitating new machinery investments.
“The industry is ready for this transformation, and Xpanner is proud to lead the way.”
Xpanner’s current customers had exclusive access to X1 and are using the technology in forward deployments. Now X1 is officially available on the market and its designed for immediate field readiness. It can currently be used across a range of construction applications’ deployed on pile drivers, with plans underway to extend its use to additional machinery.
Lee says: “Our flagship product was designed to address the pressing automation needs at construction sites, focusing on tasks of high precision and complexity, which is why we chose pile driving.
“Our technology is tailored specifically for the construction industry, streamlining site automation to make it both faster and more efficient. At Xpanner, we take a comprehensive view of the entire project or jobsite.
“Instead of simply automating equipment, we hone in on automating distinct tasks, which makes our approach uniquely task-specific. These individual task automations collectively contribute to automating the entire construction workflow.”
X1 is particularly effective for high-impact applications like pile driving in solar installations. This adaptability allows X1 to automate complex tasks, diminishing the dependency on highly skilled labor and fostering significant cost reductions and efficiency improvements.
It recently automated a piling process, slashing labor needs by 80 percent and operation time by 50 percent. The system also continuously evolves on the jobsite, forming a foundational Physical AI infrastructure capable of learning and improving over time.
Key to X1’s operation is a triad of Xpanner’s advanced technologies: Mango, M2, and a proprietary software suite. Mango, a hardware control marvel, facilitates highly precise machine operations, while M2 processes environmental data to strategize and transmit real-time operational commands.
Accompanying these modules is a centralized platform that manages seamless integration and user interactions, enhancing oversight and optimizing workflow through continuous remote updates.
Lee says: “We are excited about X1 not only for its technical innovation, but for the tangible change it will bring to the construction industry.
“The industry has long faced chronic labor shortages, undertrained personnel, and operational inefficiencies. We believe X1 will accelerate the transition to a more automated, efficient and resilient future – powered by Physical AI.”
