Sunday, January 10, 2016

B1: Group C - Alexis

All three subjects – robotics, artificial intelligence, and 3D printing – are beginning to see applications in the building design industry. Additive manufacturing is not a new technique, but has recently been used for rapid prototyping of structural elements, concept models, and prefabrication. The declining cost of commercial 3D printers has allowed architects and engineers to manufacture industrial prototypes within project budget (1). Engineers can analyze their scale models in a wind tunnel as an example. This applies to automotive and aerospace analysis as well as architectural models. Additive manufacturing of 3D printing technology has reduced costs and time compared to machining wind tunnel test models. Engineers are able to print smaller characteristics of the design like interior corridors that may be difficult to machine at scale using the traditional methods (2). Designers can also incorporate sensors into 3D digital models that are embedded during the printing process, such as velocity or pressure measurement devices.

Architects and archaeologists have been able to recreate historical landmarks using 3D printing, such as the Palmyra Arch, a part of a 2,000 year old Syrian temple destroyed in August by ISIS militants (3). The Institute for Digital Archaeology works to preserve these historical artifacts in a digital library for conservation. The 3D models can be shared with researchers or replicated around the world with the advancements in 3D printing. Combined with advancements in robotics, designers have begun to develop 3D printed structures using six-axis robotic arms. One Dutch company MX3D plans to construct a pedestrian bridge using digital fabrication. Their robots print with metal, precisely placing thousands of dots of molten steel essentially drawn in the air (4). The firm has experimented with freeform benches manufactured by robotic welding machines. Digital fabrication with robotics means that designs are no longer confined by the size of the printer.

Intel recently presented their developments on future trends in robotics and artificial intelligence. The company predicts that the technology industry is moving towards the Internet of things, personalizing everyday devices with human-like senses through an internet connection. At the 2016 consumer electronics show, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich demonstrated a Segway hoverboard that doubles as a personal robot (5). This device is intended for use in smart homes, with features like voice recognition and a 3D camera. The technology of this device runs on an open platform, which allows inventors to program their own applications and uses for the robot. This device will be able to communicate with the smart home to adjust temperature and humidity setpoints personalized with voice recognition.
  1. http://www.computerworld.com/article/2500602/computer-hardware/3d-printers--almost-mainstream.html
  2. http://www.stratasys.com/solutions/rapid-prototyping/functional-prototyping/wind-tunnel-testing
  3. http://www.dezeen.com/2015/12/31/giant-3d-printed-replica-palmyra-arch-syria-installation-london-trafalgar-square-new-york-times-square-unesco-world-heritage-week/
  4. http://www.dezeen.com/2015/10/19/joris-laarman-3d-printed-canal-bridge-amsterdam/
  5. http://www.cnet.com/news/intel-looks-beyond-chip-roots-with-gadgets-ces/
Comments:

Alex,
Interesting article predicting the 3D printing of buildings. As this technology develops, it will become common for large sections of the building envelope to be prefabricated with simple piping and electrical connections. Digital fabrication will depend on comprehensive 3D models to print layers of the building skin and structure with varying densities of concrete. I agree with you that the industry is not ready to adopt this kind of construction for commercial applications. Most building design firms today use BIM just for producing plans and sections. The software is used for clash detection between systems, and not modeled with the additional parameters needed for those calculations like material density, required daylighting, or heat flux. That design process would require many more iterations and assumptions to create load bearing walls that correspond to the exact stresses the wall could experience due to lateral wind or earthquake loads.

Bryan,
I also read the article on the company MX3D and their plan to digitally fabricate a pedestrian bridge. This project will involve multiple robotic arms working together to essentially draw a steel bridge over the canal. While this construction method may be faster, the design development phase is a much longer and more complicated process. In the future this method of construction might reduce labor and material costs in the field, but it will require many more iterations to model every aspect of the complex design. I agree that the main draw to incorporate digital fabrication in construction is the greater degree of customization in material properties and design.

4 comments:

  1. Alexis,
    I found your subjects very interesting and relevant to future advancements in the building design industry. The application of 3D models and how they can be analyzed in certain situations is very beneficial for helping better understand the reaction of buildings. The ease and time efficiency of additive manufacturing of 3D printing technology has made it surpass that of models manually machined for wind tunnel testing. What I also found very interesting is the advancement in digital fabrication with robotics. Designers were previously confined by the size of the printer but now with the robotics, size is essentially a non-existent issue.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Robotics is Ethics of artificial intelligence, they are connected with each other,artificial intelligence is a kind of technical that used in robotic, and robotic is a kind of media that shows the artificial intelligence
    One is said AI is the system that think like humans.“The exciting new effort to make computers thinks machine with minds, in the full and literal sense. ”(from Haugeland 1985)The other is said AI is the system that think rationally.“The study of mental faculties through the use of computational models.”(from Charniak et al. 1985)One is said AI is the system that act like humans.“The art of creating machines that perform functions that require intelligence when performed by people.”(from Kurzweil, 1990)The other is said AI is the system that act rationally.“A field of study that seeks to explain and emulate intelligent behavior in terms of computational processes.”(from Schalkol, 1990) Is that means that one day human will be controlled by computer or software.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Robotics is Ethics of artificial intelligence, they are connected with each other,artificial intelligence is a kind of technical that used in robotic, and robotic is a kind of media that shows the artificial intelligence
    One is said AI is the system that think like humans.“The exciting new effort to make computers thinks machine with minds, in the full and literal sense. ”(from Haugeland 1985)The other is said AI is the system that think rationally.“The study of mental faculties through the use of computational models.”(from Charniak et al. 1985)One is said AI is the system that act like humans.“The art of creating machines that perform functions that require intelligence when performed by people.”(from Kurzweil, 1990)The other is said AI is the system that act rationally.“A field of study that seeks to explain and emulate intelligent behavior in terms of computational processes.”(from Schalkol, 1990) Is that means that one day human will be controlled by computer or software.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Alexis,

    Your post went into a lot of detail and had many examples of how the industry of 3D Printing is already revolutionizing the industry in many areas. In the beginning 3D printing was only limited to be able to produce small objects with certain materials. Furthermore, before 3D printers could only be used for certain specific tasks for example: printing some small part for a disposable camera (we did this in Freshmen Design). Now, 3D printing can be used in a various applications in many scales and can employ more materials. Moreover, 3D printers are becoming more accessible for both industries and individuals to purchase them. Yet 3D printers still need to be developed quite a lot and they have an immense potential in further revolutionizing many industries. They have the potential to have ability of allowing us to be able to materialize anything or imagination designs. As you said 3D printing is also becoming big in civil infrastructure construction. It has a great potential of minimizing required labor force and time of construction. Additionally, as this technology becomes more accessible it can lower the price of construction as well. Do you think there are any down sides to the use of 3D printers in civil infrastructure construction?

    ReplyDelete