Assistant professor Houtan Jebelli joined the department of civil and environmental engineering in fall of 2023 as a faculty member in construction engineering management. Jebelli serves as director of the Robotic, Automation, and Intelligent Sensing (RAISE) Lab, where his research centers around construction automation and robotics, particularly the integration of human physiology into robotic control and motion planning systems.
Before joining U of I, Jebelli worked at Pennsylvania State University, where he began several research projects related to the development and integration of robotics and automated technology into the construction industry. He now continues these innovative endeavors as a faculty member of Illinois Grainger Engineering:
Advanced health monitoring of construction workers
Though the construction industry is often cited for its high rate of injuries and fatalities compared to other industries, tools for monitoring workers’ physical and psychological health are lacking. This project aims to develop proactive means of tracking construction worker’s health and safety by integrating advances in physiological sensing, machine learning and digital twin technology. The project includes three key facets:
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Designing and fabricating a flexible, wearable sensor to measure workers’ bioelectric signals and electrochemical responses in real-time while they’re working at construction sites.
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Developing robust machine learning algorithms for continuous and objective assessment of workers’ health conditions with the help of physiological, contextual and environmental data.
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Generating digital twin models — which can be thought of as “health and safety” maps —of construction sites, and develop an automated feedback model that can provide risk-mitigation strategies for workers based on personal health-related information.
AI-driven framework & wearable biosensors to combat worker heat stress
In this project, Jebelli expands on his work with wearable biosensors to focus on detecting heat stress in workers across heat-vulnerable industries, such as construction, firefighting and agriculture. While most heat stress monitoring systems rely on environmental data, Jebelli’s design looks to additionally incorporate individual physiological data into its observations. The biosensors themselves utilize a cutting-edge flexible design that makes them easy to wear, and transmits data to the proposed system’s advanced machine learning algorithms for evaluation. These algorithms are designed to predict potential heat stress incidents by continuously interpreting signals such as blood flow, skin hydration, skin and core temperature, and cardiac activity.
Developing an innovative VR-based robotics training tool
In anticipation of a growing reliance on robotics in the construction industry, Jebelli is also working to develop a VR-based training tool that will help workers acclimate to the use of robotics and automated processes on the job. This human-centric VR experience will simulate real-world construction scenarios in a safe, controlled virtual setting, allowing for hands-on experience without risk of injury. Some of the tasks the training will simulate includes bricklaying, welding, and 3D printing of concrete, all of which are on track to become increasingly automated facets of construction, according to Jebelli.
Revolutionizing construction sites with wearable robots
Exoskeletons are not merely tools, but rather advanced robotic partners that can provide essential support for lifting, dispersing weight and correcting posture — physical demands that often lead to injury in the construction sector. Despite their potential, full integration of exoskeletons remains distant due to uncertainty, risks and challenges robotic aids may introduce. Jebelli’s work aims to illuminate these issues, paving the way for seamless integration in the future. “This project seeks to provide manufacturers with empirical evidence necessary to develop exoskeletons that are not only versatile and user-friendly, but also customizes to the diverse needs of the construction workforce,” Jebelli said.