Robotic Fabrication

Introduction to Robotic Control and Fabrication
FIRST MEETING 12.04.2016 at 9.45, room 10.23

Recent developments in computational design methods, fabrication techniques and robotic control open up new possibilities for materialization in architecture. Beyond the automation of traditional fabrication techniques, robotic tools create the opportunity to explore adaptive, interactive and responsive manufacturing methods. Students will develop skills and understanding for robotic fabrication, explore experimental robotic techniques (i.e. robotic interface, drone contol, sensing, data processing, live streaming control and input/output signals), investigate computational design strategies and advanced robotic control for digital fabrication.
Based on these studies, new computation-based fabrication concepts will be explored. This explorative process will be closely related to the ITECH Master studio course Performative Morphologies: ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion, which will enable students to investigate fabrication techniques in interdisciplinary teams as well as developing suitable computational design tools for this process.

The result of these investigations will be an overview of robotic fabrication within the context of an architectural discipline, deeper understanding of technologies for advanced fabrication of architectural systems, and the development of computational tools, experimental fabrication techniques and prototype architectural demonstrators.

Final presentations are at the end of the SS 2016 semester. Prerequisite is previous participation in one of the computational design seminars or experience with Grasshopper or Python Programming.