Autonomous in Craft - Embedding Human Sensibility in Architectural Robotic Fabrication

Abstract

Recent advancements in robotics allow architects to explore the coupling of manual craft with digital tools. However, current methods remain limited in addressing high-skill, custom tasks involving material uncertainty. In this context, the paper presents three capacities that stand at the core of performing autonomous robotic craft. These include documenting the movements and gestures of local stone craftsmen; augmenting the robotic system with a custom end effector and a sensor toolkit; and enhancing the fabrication process through a protocol that translates the documented data to an autonomous process. The three capacities aid in preserving local crafts, expanding robotic tools with new capabilities, and enabling architectural fabrication with a broader range of materials.