Thanks to a new project spearheaded by researchers at MIT, it may soon be possible to manufacture your very own robot. This revolutionary new technology is a game-changer that will make it possible to design and print your own robot using your computer and a 3D printer.
Currently, it can take years, millions of dollars and hours of labor to create just one robot. Thanks to MIT, this process may be a thing of the past.
“This research envisions a whole new way of thinking about the design and manufacturing of robots, and could have a profound impact on society,” says MIT Professor Daniela Rus, one of the project leaders. “We believe that it has the potential to transform manufacturing and to democratize access to robots,” he continued.
This project focused on creating working robots through materials as simple as paper and a circuit board. In time, it will be easy enough for anyone with a 3D printer and the right software to create their own custom robot, right at home.
“Our goal is to develop technology that enables anyone to manufacture their own customized robot. This is truly a game changer,” said project member Professor Vijay Kumar from the University of Pennsylvania. “It could allow for the rapid design and manufacture of customized goods, and change the way we teach science and technology in high schools.”
While the project still is on-going and will span 5 years, it is clear that they are making incredible headway and will soon be close to realizing their goals and creating a functioning robot from a 3D printer. They’ve already created a proto-type robot that is intended for use in exploring contaminated areas and a gripper device that can be utilized by limited mobility patients.
“Our vision is to develop an end-to-end process; specifically, a compiler for building physical machines that starts with a high level of specification of function, and delivers a programmable machine for that function using simple printing processes,” Rus continued.
The future is certainly bright and soon, we may all have access to our own personal robots, thanks to this research team.