US industrial technology business OshKosh Corporation has made a strategic investment in Boston-based AI, robotics and industrial automation business, Nextera Robotics.

The value of the investment and the percentage stake acquired were not disclosed.

The parent company of access equipment manufacturer JLG Industries, OshKosh Corporation says the investment is confirmation of its belief in Nextera’s technology, and it now plans to accelerate its deployment within the construction sector.

Nextera develops autonomous technologies which create updated digital maps of active construction sites using visual AI and autonomous robotics. 

OshKosh says these digital representations provide project teams with timely insights into project progress, quality and safety, helping identify issues earlier and improve decision-making throughout the construction process.

“Nextera has developed unique technology across visual image recognition using AI, Bluetooth mesh technology and use cases for jobsite autonomy,” says Shashank Bhatia, chief technology officer, Oshkosh Access segment. “We will explore using these technologies in future JLG products to advance our strategy of developing products for the job site of the future.”

As part of the relationship, JLG says it will support Nextera's commercialisation efforts through customer engagement, field validation and application expertise. 

JLG says in turn, Nextera's technology platform complements JLG's technology roadmap, and can expand how connected equipment creates value on the job site.