ABB Robots and Cosmic Microfactories Rebuild Wildfire-Hit Homes in L.A.

• ABB and Cosmic are building homes in Pacific Palisades using a mobile robotic microfactory launched after the 2025 wildfires.
• The system uses AI and real-time automation to cut build time by 70% and reduce costs by 30%.

ABB Robotics and Cosmic Buildings are using AI-powered robots to rebuild homes destroyed in the 2025 Southern California wildfires. Their mobile robotic microfactory, now operating in Pacific Palisades, is designed to deliver fast, resilient, and cost-effective housing where it’s needed most.

The system integrates ABB’s IRB 6710 robots and RobotStudio software with Cosmic’s AI-driven Building Information Model (BIM). Housed in the microfactory, this platform handles design, permitting, procurement, fabrication, and assembly. Robots work alongside AI and computer vision systems to produce custom structural panels with millimeter precision and detect any quality issues in real time.

“Together, Cosmic and ABB Robotics are rewriting the rules of construction and disaster recovery,” said Marc Segura, President of ABB Robotics Division, in an official news release. “By integrating our robots and digital twin technologies into Cosmic’s AI-powered mobile microfactory, we’re enabling real-time, precision automation ideal for remote and disaster-affected sites. In the face of labor shortages and rising costs, this shows how automation can transform housing construction, by building faster, safer and smarter.”

Cosmic’s process reduces construction time by up to 70% and lowers total costs by around 30% compared to standard methods. Homes are built in 12 weeks for $550–$700 per square foot, well below Los Angeles’ typical range. Each structure meets or exceeds state codes for wildfire resilience and energy efficiency, and includes solar, battery, and water systems. The company aims to build 100 homes by 2027.

🌀 Tom’s Take:

This shows what’s possible when automation meets urgent need. Building homes in 12 weeks at a lower cost depends on spatial computing from robotics to real-time machine perception. It’s a clear example of tech stepping in where time is the limiting factor.

Source: ABB