Edge-First Computing Architecture
All real-time robot control, path planning, and collision avoidance runs on the field base station - an NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin 64GB compute module running ROS2 Humble on Ubuntu 22.04. This eliminates cloud latency for safety-critical decisions. The base station syncs telemetry, video clips, and task logs to Terran's AWS infrastructure over the site 5G connection, but never relies on the cloud for active robot control loops.
Control loop latency from sensor input to actuator command is under 8ms on the current hardware. The framing robot's path planner re-evaluates obstacle clearance at 125Hz. Safety zone violations trigger an immediate hardware estop in under 12ms - faster than the human reaction threshold of 200ms.
Computer Vision QA System
Overhead camera arrays are positioned at 4-meter intervals along the working envelope, providing overlapping coverage with no blind spots. Each camera runs a custom YOLOv8 model fine-tuned on 180,000 construction inspection images labeled by licensed building inspectors. The model detects 47 defect classes including nail pattern violations, mortar joint voids, missing bridging, and plumb deviation greater than 1/4 inch in 8 feet.
Detected defects trigger a push notification to the site supervisor within 90 seconds. Each alert includes the camera timestamp, GPS coordinates, annotated photo, relevant IBC code section, and suggested corrective action. All alerts are logged permanently in the project's Digital Build Record.
AI Site Planning Engine
The planning engine uses a constraint-satisfaction approach to optimize daily task sequences across all active robots, human crews, and material deliveries. Input constraints include BIM sequencing logic, subcontractor availability windows, weather forecasts, material lead times, and safety zone exclusions. The engine generates schedules that minimize crew idle time and robot re-positioning moves, which are the two largest sources of construction schedule inefficiency.
The engine is trained on build sequence data from 200+ completed projects and continues learning from each new deployment. Schedule adherence benchmarks from the last 12 months show an average of 91% task completion against plan across 7 active sites, with zero safety incidents attributable to scheduling errors.
Integration Ecosystem
Terran publishes a documented REST API for all platform data and control functions. Current production integrations include Procore (task synchronization and RFI logging), Buildertrend (schedule import and progress reporting), Autodesk Construction Cloud (BIM model sync and clash detection export), and the ICC Digital Permitting Initiative portal for direct inspection submissions in partner jurisdictions.
The Terran API follows OpenAPI 3.1 specification, with authentication via OAuth 2.0 Bearer tokens and rate limits of 1,000 requests per minute per client. API documentation is publicly available at docs.terranrobotics.org. Webhooks are available for 12 event types including task completion, QA alerts, and daily schedule updates.
Safety Architecture
Every Terran robot operates within a defined 3D safety envelope maintained by a combination of ultrasonic proximity sensors, time-of-flight cameras, and LiDAR. Any human detected within 2 meters of an active robot arm triggers a staged stop: arm deceleration at 0.5m/s2 followed by full estop at the 1-meter boundary. The safety system has never failed to stop on detection across 2,100+ hours of field operation.
All safety events are logged with full sensor data and video from the nearest overhead camera. A monthly safety report is automatically generated for each active site, summarizing proximity events, estop activations, and manual override instances. Terran carries commercial general liability insurance of $10M per occurrence for all active deployments, and customers receive certificates of insurance at contract signing.
Permit-Ready Documentation
The Digital Build Record generated by Terran is designed around IBC Chapter 17 (Special Inspection) requirements and the ICC's Model Program for Inspection Technology. For framing, the record documents nail type, spacing, penetration depth, and plumb verification at every stud, joist, and rafter connection. For masonry, it documents mortar batch, unit manufacturer, coursing height, and bond pattern at every course.
In the 4 ICC pilot jurisdictions currently active, Terran's Digital Build Record satisfies the special inspections requirement without a third-party inspector's physical site visit for the framing and masonry phases. Builders in these jurisdictions report certificate of occupancy issuance averaging 12 days faster than their pre-Terran baseline.
