Ken Colao, president of Manhattan-based construction boutique CNY Group, once attended a symposium where he watched in astonishment as a robotic exoskeleton lifted hundreds of pounds with ease.

“It was amazing,” he said.

Colao envisioned himself buying a whole crew of robots to help his human crew while jackhammering walls. But after he considered the needs of his team and the cost of the machines, he couldn’t justify bringing the new technology home.

Colao’s technology back-and-forth isn’t unusual. With so many technological developments making headlines, the construction industry appears poised for a big shakeup. Drones can record images from hard-to-reach areas for site assessment, help create three-dimensional architectural plans and monitor workers on the jobsite. Robots have the potential to assist in brick-laying, demolition and excavation. Virtual reality could help owners get a more realistic idea of what a space will look and feel like when finished.

These advancements could one day revolutionize the way new buildings and infrastructure are developed. They could help projects reach completion faster, keep workers safer and help firms attract and retain both laborers and customers. However, industry insiders say construction firms are likely to take a slow, careful approach to adding these new tools on a large scale. And for many firms, the top priority in technology may not be in anything as splashy as robotics.