Use of a Low-Cost Humanoid for Tiling as a Study in On-Site Fabrication: Techniques and Methods

摘要

Since the time architecture and construction began embracing robotics, the pre-fab movement has grown rapidly. As the possibilities for new design and fabrication emerge from creativity and need, the application and use of new robotic technologies becomes vital. This movement has been largely focused on the deployment of industrial-type robots used in the (automobile) manufacturing industry for decades, as well as trying to apply these technologies into off-site building construction. Beyond the pre-fab (off-site) conditions, on-site fabrication offers a valuable next step to implement new construction methods and reduce human work-related injuries. The main challenge in introducing on-site robotic fabrication/construction is the difficulty in calibrating robot navigation (localization) in an unstructured and constantly changing environment. Additionally, advances in robotic technology, similar to the revolution of at-home 3D printing, shift the ownership of modes of production from large industrial entities to individuals, allowing for greater levels of design and construction customization. This paper demonstrates a low-cost humanoid robot as highly customizable technology for floor tiling. A novel end-effector design to pick up tiles was developed, along with a localization system that can be applied to a wide variety of robots.