The Master Programme in Robotics and Advanced Construction is an innovative educational format that offers interdisciplinary skills and understanding through a series of class seminars that are put into practice through hands-on workshops. IAAC gives students the opportunity to create individual studio agendas and develop Pilot Thesis Projects based on the knowledge acquired during the seminars and workshops split into 3 Modules. In this way, IAAC puts together an experimental learning environment for the training of professionals with both theoretical and practical responses to the increasing complexity of the construction sector.
The project focuses on generative assemblies comprised of multiple identical modules. It is crucial to design the shape of the components and the connection points between each of them, as well as not to add occlusions. Components will grow randomly depending on the shape as well as the location of the connection points. The design … Read more
During this course, we delved into the methodologies of modular building using wood modules designed by Gilles Retsin. By employing techniques like stacking and post-tensioning, we investigated both the potential and constraints of these modules. Our journey started with the assembly of the module, during which we constructed elements such as beam, column, opening and … Read more
Preliminary steps towards a hybrid workflow for smooth 3D printed surfaces. Aim To develop a hybrid workflow to obtain smooth surfaces on 3D printed clay for improved alignment and surface finish. State of the Art Additive manufacturing enables the precise and cost-effective creation of complex designs while minimizing waste. One of the shortcomings common to … Read more
The construction industry has shown an increasing interest in adapting to more environmentally friendly materials, with wood gaining popularity as a natural and sustainable option for buildings. However, the wood industry contributes a significant percentage of energy consumption during the entire wood lifecycle, encompassing tree cutting, transportation to sawmills, and delivery to construction sites. Additionally, … Read more
In this workshop, we collaborated all together to investigate the neuro-evolution (artificial evolution defining neural networks) as a strategy to develop autonomous behaviours of mobile robots (in this workshop we used Turtlebots) to perform given tasks. We used N.E.A.T. (NeuroEvolution of Augmenting Topologies) as a method framework for artificial evolution of these robot controllers and increased … Read more
perceiving the world in a human shell called body acting as transition between physical and spiritual The project tackle the understanding of the human existence and complexity of how every aspect in the body perceive life in a different way. “Who am I ?” provides you to feel and experience yourself in a physical world … Read more
Ceramiquest draws inspiration from the ancient art of pottery, augmenting it with virtual reality technologies to create a platform that enables users to generate and modify pottery geometries in an immersive environment. By digitizing this art form while retaining the manual generation process, Ceramiquest simplifies pottery-making and allows to 3D print your virtual creations with … Read more
In recent years, the exploration of multisensory experiences has gained significant attention in the culinary industries. This project focuses on the potential of leveraging virtual reality (VR) to alter and augment the flavours and qualities of beverages and food – specifically wine in our case – through the integration of music and visuals. Virtual reality … Read more
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in developing multiagent systems that combine the strengths of human, robotic, and virtual agents to perform complex tasks. In this project we theorize on how such a system could be implemented in bricklaying at a construction site, which traditionally relies heavily on human labor. With the … Read more
Autonomous emergency response and safety evaluation system In a catastrophic event geographical region, robots are deployed to collect and process data, allowing the rescue team to analyze the situation from a safe distance and provide an effective rescue operation. Dangerous zones can be accessed by robots without any harm and no human life needs to … Read more
Discrete Assemblies with Gilles Retsin Introduction How can primordial components be aggregated to form complex structures, that are at once easy to assemble and comfortable to live in? This was the question that defined our workshop with instructor Gilles Retsin. During the workshop, Gilles introduced us to his system of assembling buildings from discrete components. … Read more
Sorting for Salvageable Materials This course was mainly to understand automated collaborative multiagent systems in different environments. Term’s 3 topic (Human-Machine-Collaboration) is recognized through this course by exploring the possibilities of the processes and us being capable of mapping in different diagrams how we imagine a scenario with an automated procedure. For this task, we … Read more
Optimizing 3D Printing with AI prediction Introduction In this seminar we applied the concepts of machine learning to estimate the deformation during drying of simplified 3D printed clay objects. To do this, we trained an artificial neural network (ANN) to predict the movement of discrete points within the printed object. This project is very relevant … Read more
The analyzed material of our team in this class is clay, which is a fine/grained sediment primarily composed of small particles of minerals that are formed when rocks are exposed to different elements such as rain, wind and temperature changes. It can be considered as a natural material which is taken from the Earth, however … Read more
Our project involves the fabrication of a curved surface using cork panels that have been discretized into unique four-sided shapes. Our previous approach involved cutting each panel individually, but we aim to streamline the process by using machine learning to classify the panels into five distinct groups. We will then design and create a mold … Read more
This research study delves into the realm of advanced robotics and semi-automated manufacturing processes that take into account the material properties of cork. Specifically, it explores the design and fabrication of a surface system that is optimized for both aesthetic appeal and functional performance. Building on the knowledge gained in a previous term on robotic … Read more
AIM \\ To create custom designed, 3D printed interior surface cladding, constructed of individual components with high quality surface finish and tolerance. CONTEXT \\ Last term we designed a dual end effector that would have an extruder and a wire cutter within the same tool, allowing us to post process the 3D printed pieces to … Read more
AIM \\ Create a design logic that would enable artists and mosaic makers to create unique, one of a kind and highly complex mosaic patterns by giving a second life to broken tiles; having full control of the overall geometry pattern and manufacture of each individual tile through computational technologies and mass production robotic strategies. … Read more
MRAC Workshop 2.2 Introduction We know that trash is a problem, specifically with respect to construction and demolition waste. The saying is supposed to go, ‘One man’s trash is another’s treasure.’ but at the moment we are missing the processes to intervene in the massive flows of construction and demolition wasted that are sent to … Read more
A story of mosaic leftovers and their robotic revitalization In alignment with the circular economy and Barcelona’s climate action plan of 2030, we want to use broken ceramic tiles from the demolition site for large-scale applications. It offers numerous benefits, including cost savings, environmental sustainability, mass-customization, and increased efficiency. The goal of the workshop is the … Read more
During this Hardware seminar, we were able to understand different types of sensors used in robotics and the techniques used to process the collected data. The aim of the seminar is to use the sensors to understand the environment and then expect the robot to take decisions (automation) and carry a specific task (actuation). For … Read more
