Robotic Kinematic System for Parallel Construction

LEVERAGING THE BUILDING MATERIAL AS PART OF THE ROBOTIC KINEMATIC SYSTEM FOR PARALLEL CONSTRUCTION

Contemporary applications of robotics in the construction industry are primarily focusing on automation of conventional and at best slightly altered construction processes. Contrary to this automation approach, this project explores methods for co-design and development of a complimentary robotic and architectural systems, where the manipulator and the building material are co-designed. A system that combines actuator hardware and building material into a modular robot-material kinematic chain is developed, which  can reconfigure throughout the construction process. Deploying a fleet of such modules has the capacity to not only expand the existing automation in construction practices but also further increase the flexibility of on-site construction robots. In order to achieve this vision, the research will address various related challenges that arise from this novel approach, which intrinsically requires co-design strategies for robot hardware design, building system design, robot control system design, and the computational design software tool.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS

Prof. Dr. Metin Sitti
Physical Intelligence Department (MPI PI), Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart
Prof. Achim Menges
Institute for Computational Design and Construction (ICD), University of Stuttgart
Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Marc Toussaint
Machine Learning and Robotics Lab (IPVS-MLR), University of Stuttgart

TEAM

Dr.-Ing. Salih Özgür Ögüz (IPVS-MLR)
Hyun Gyu Kim (MPI)
Samuel Leder (ICD)
Patricia Martinez (MPI)
Tobias Schwinn (ICD)