This course will leverage knowledge gained by students in the Fall and set an ambitious aim for the experimentation, development and demonstration of a robotically manufactured design prototype that is intrinsically related to a bespoke production process. The end product will involve a 1:1 part or whole, physically fabricated work that will be accompanied by either a live demonstration or video production. During the first half of the semester students will engage in the development of bespoke robotic tooling, sensor and programming capabilities in order to create novel manufacturing processes that explore ideas of intelligent or autonomous manufacturing with an emphasis on responsive or manipulation based processes. Industry processes will be leveraged yet re-cast through creative engagement with manufacturing materials, tools and production operations. Participants will follow a brief that specifies a line of inquiry or scenario, whilst allowing some degree of self-direction. Projects will engage in a speculative and critical approach to architectural design, production and use while leveraging robotics platforms, methods for machine vision, sensing and learning, in addition to an engagement with material dynamics and computer programming within design research. A successful project is expected to: demonstrate a rigorously crafted design artifact; explore novel approaches to design, material fabrication and user engagement, questioning the role and nature of architecture's physical and cultural contribution; and explore novel forms of robotic production and representation. Some proposals will involve live or filmed demonstrator performances. All projects will require a computer simulation or animation that demonstrates a temporal consideration for design, manufacture or use. The course introduces robot tooling, sensor-feedback procedures, 1:1 material prototyping, and building design with tectonic considerations. Examples of potentially relevant industry processes include: sheet-metal bending, incremental metal forming, additive and subtractive manufacturing.
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