What if a robot could take over your job as a construction worker?
Possibilities are far from endless when it comes to construction technology. The prevalent speedy innovation and technology will model the appearance of future buildings. In the future of building construction, the construction workers could be robots. The Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering have designed termite-inspired bots which can already execute construction projects.
They can build structures without guidance and even without prearranged roles. Four years have been allotted by the researchers to advance TERMES, the team of small robots that can build 3D structures from foam bricks. They plan to use identical robotic systems such as these for construction projects that may be too hazardous for humans.
Italian robotics engineer Enrico Dini says, “We might print not only buildings, but entire urban sections,” This may well hold true, with architects already producing the first 3D-printed houses. In January 2013, Universe Architecture had designs of a two-storey house that looks like a Mobius strip and designers planned that it will be concretely printed on site. Landscape House as it is called, will be launched as Endless Expo Space Amsterdam estimated 2017.
Universe will be collaborating with Dini with his D-shape machine, which is considered the largest 3D printer in the world. In 2010, it built a single-room structure resembling a mountain hut with two windows; an interior that has a platform bed, workspace and a sink.
These kinds of printed structures might offer an impression of the future of building construction. However, to prevent them from collapsing while under construction, they need to be printed with supporting structures because of their fragile parts. The support can be removed once the concrete filling has been added. Initially, the whole process had been estimated to cost around €5 million: rather prohibitive, but constantly lowering as the technology is refined.