Augmented Robotic Craftsmanship
Integrative Technologies and Architectural Design Research (ITECH)
Master of Science
Thesis Project
2020/10/29
ABSTRACT
This research explores the ideas of human-robot collaboration in art and architecture for the purpose of expanding the ways we work and design with material systems in partially automated workflows. The aim was to develop a custom framework to enable intuitive human-robot collaboration moving toward the synthesis of design and fabrication spaces which could be expanded in future applications. And in the process, “expanded the way designers are thinking about the dynamism of material manipulation.”
Through the development of a case study material system, heat pressing thermoplastic textiles the research developed general and specific methods of spatial programming collaborative industrial robots[2] to produce a human-scaled free-standing thermoplastic textile artifact. In so doing, demonstrating the developed framework’s intuitive real-time robotic programming. Through a shared coordinate system 3d digital geometries were spatially drawn using a custom-developed Augmented Reality (AR) ISO application on the user’s phone and shared with the robot in real-time. Through a custom-developed Robotic Operating System (ROS) cloud web-server the robot could then analyze and process the user’s digital design either in place or in a separate processing zone which can be positioned on the fly user-defined poses through 2d image recognition. Enabling joining, adjusting, and refining the workpiece. The step by step design and fabrication workflow highlighted the potential to benefit from human intuition and design judgment and robotic precision and flexibility moving towards new intuitions.
Ultimately this research developed a custom communication and interaction platform for human-robot collaboration which is accessible through a smartphone in anticipation of a future where partially automated workflows could greatly benefit robotic and human efficiency. A future where human creativity and intuition can be expanded through robotic systems not replaced.
MIXED REALITY INTERFACES IN THE WORKSHOP
Design tools in the architectural fabrication industry are largely contained in conventional CAD modeling software operated from a computer and mouse. However when thinking about how to design in a live fabrication situation the designer needs the functionality that is more suited to the spatial design and robotic control. When operating machinery such as industrial robotics safety is of paramount importance. Studies have shown that increased situational awareness is a contributing factor to reduced injuries in the workplace[18].
Situational awareness can also be a key to considering the integration of digital design tools through mixed reality interfaces. By giving the user the ability to overlay future robotic motions, the user can understand and judge the suitability of a proposed fabrication decision.
In order to integrate a design tool that is centered around communication with robotic systems and digital design methods, it is crucial to consider the flexibility, accessibility, and fabrication space, we must consider ease of use.
DEMONSTRATOR OVERVIEW
The demonstrator was conceived as an experimental fabrication scenario for validating and testing the collaborative methodology proposed earlier and to contextualize functions within a design fabrication workflow.
The demonstrator is a human-scaled self-standing sculptural object built from a multi-layered 14-meter long continuous strip of PET thermoplastic textile 15cm wide.
It was designed in an additive scenario giving the designer the opportunity to design and make, to stop and critically think and to adjust and continue to fabricate. The following experiments outline the key aspects of the workflow which was used to design and fabricate the demonstrator.
