Robot builders show their prowess
The structure above was designed by two Swiss architects, and it certainly looks pretty cool. However, the most remarkable part is not its design but who built it: a team of flying robots. Guided by a computer and a motion-capture system, four helicopter-like robots assembled the 20-foot building over a few days. The bots delicately shuttled bricks around the warehouse where the exhibition took place, avoiding each other and taking over when one needed to charge (which it accomplished automatically by returning to a dock). Check out the video here.
The exhibit certainly showcases the advances that have been made in robotics and autonomous construction, but scientists aren’t willing to stop at helicopters. One research team in Japan is investigating futuristic robot bees as labor for construction skyscrapers.
