Pocket Queries and Konoike Construction Successfully Demonstrate Autonomous Exploration with Quadruped Robot in Mountain Tunnel Face

Pocket Queries, Inc., in collaboration with Konoike Construction Co., Ltd., conducted a demonstration experiment on February 8, 2026, at the tunnel face (the forefront of excavation) of a mountain tunnel construction site. This experiment was part of the 'Construction Management Automation Project using Quadruped Robots' announced in July 2025.

This verification aimed to explore the possibility of unmanned exploration using quadruped robots in the 'tunnel face' working environment, which is the most dangerous area in mountain tunnel excavation. They successfully conducted unmanned exploration and data acquisition in a real-world setting, achieving a 'technical proof' that marks a major step toward practical application.

[Specific Results of the Demonstration Experiment] In this experiment, the following three points were verified to confirm the acquisition of valid data:

1. Fully Unmanned Exploration of Dangerous Areas Before human entry, a quadruped robot entered the tunnel face, which is prone to rock collapse immediately after blasting. It demonstrated that safe operation, through autonomous travel and remote control, is possible even on complex and uneven terrain.

2. Real-Time Hazardous Gas Monitoring Equipped with gas detection sensors, the robot remotely monitored oxygen concentration and the presence of flammable/toxic gases near the tunnel face in real-time. This established a system to objectively determine environmental safety as a human substitute and quickly decide on entry feasibility.

3. High-Precision 3D Point Cloud Data Acquisition using LiDAR Using LiDAR measurement, the robot acquired 3D point cloud data of the tunnel face and the tunnel structure. This data can be seamlessly linked with BIM/CIM models, contributing to the digitalization of construction management and the monitoring of changes over time.

[Future Developments] Moving forward, the companies will focus on the following to improve robustness: - Better adaptation to complex terrain: Improving walking stability on uneven ground. - Establishing long-term operation: Achieving wide-range autonomous patrols through enhanced battery life and communication stability. - Automating BIM/CIM integration: Implementing algorithms for automatic progress analysis.

The companies will continue to develop technologies that fundamentally transform safety and productivity at construction sites.