The Master in Robotics and Advanced Construction (MRAC) seeks to train a new generation of interdisciplinary professionals who are capable of facing our growing need for a more sustainable and optimised construction ecosystem. The Master is focused on the emerging design and market opportunities arising from novel robotic and advanced manufacturing systems.
Through a mixture of seminars, workshops, and studio projects, the master programme challenges the traditional processes in the Construction Sector. It investigates how advances in robotics and digital fabrication tools change the way we build and develop processes and design tools for such new production methods.
ReWeave_3.0
Abstract: The ReWeave project develops a robotic system to repurpose construction and demolition (C&D) waste into functional, attractive walls, enhancing human-robot collaboration. We created a database by scanning broken tiles to extract shape, size, and color information, then developed custom nesting algorithms to optimize tile arrangement. The workflow includes scanning tiles, exporting outlines via ROS, … Read more
ReWeave_3.0_Gamified
Abstract The escalating challenge of managing construction and demolition waste necessitates innovative approaches to enhance sustainability in the construction industry. This research proposes an automated robotic workflow leveraging Multi Agent Systems (MAS) and computer vision to repurpose planar construction waste materials, such as tiles, into new construction elements like bricks or walls. The primary objective … Read more
Peacock Immersive Experience
Concept Most of Virtual Experiences are designed and model for humans and by humans. In this scenario believe the overall concept is that the game platform is seen from the perspective of an animal. References Aim “Our goal is to offer humans a unique experience through the eyes of a peacock. This game platform immerses … Read more
Follow Me
Aim To explore innovative parametric tiling designs through the utilization of robotic tiling setups. The project aim is to utilize the functions of COMPAS framework and its extensions for robotic planning. Also, to incorporate computer vision and scanning information into the tiling process to enhance precision and efficiency. Design Logic Inspired by the idea of … Read more
Data_visualization
CONTEXT Consequences of carbon emission Building operations are responsible for approximately 27% annually, while the embodied carbon of just four building and infrastructure materials – cement, iron, steel, and aluminum – are responsible for an additional 15% annually EuropeanClimateLaw The European Climate Law writes into law the goal set out in the European Green Deal for Europe’s economy and society to become climate-neutral by 2050. The law also sets the intermediate target of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Climate neutrality by 2050 means achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions for EU countries as a whole, mainly by cutting emissions, investing in green technologies and protecting … Read more
Paint Detection
Our project began with an engaging challenge: to digitally map the future home of the Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) using cutting-edge technology. We harnessed photogrammetry, a method that transforms a series of photos into a comprehensive 3D model, using both drones and smartphones to capture the images. This technique allowed us to … Read more
PatchX
Aim The project was aimed to develop a methodology to detect damages in walls with the help of Yolo’s trained models furthering to gain the quantitative and economic analysis of the development any project. Workflow Initially, we conducted a site scan using an RGB camera of Dji drone the site was mapped section by section … Read more
Stylized Point Cloud
Aim The main objective is to generate a new formation of point cloud of the new IAAC building, that is inspired from a style (Artistic /Architectural) using AI / Machine learning and change the existing point cloud with the the new stylized point cloud. State of The Art Image-to-image translation is a class of vision … Read more
Real Time mapping using TurtleBot with Object detection and avoidance
Brief Our aim in this project was to generate real time mapping with object detection and object avoidance with a Turtle_bot using ROS. Embracing Ubuntu and creating workspaces alongside docker, we were able to create a system which allowed us to map an environment and find obstacles within. From this we were curious into what … Read more
Object Database Creation Automation
State of the Art Raw Timber and AEC Industry Wood waste is often disregarded in the wood industry and the construction industry. Majority of wood used in construction is sawn and processed wood that not only generates waste on its production but it is also associated with high CO2 emissions, because of the embodied energy … Read more
Visualising Genres: Investigating the Combination of Acoustics and Art in Multi-Material 3D Printed Walls
Brief Our curiosity brought us to an intriguing investigation at the nexus of technology, craftsmanship, and acoustics in the quest to elevate spatial design. This blog shares the story of our journey, where we used a cutting-edge multi-material 3D printing technique to produce personalized sound-diffusing walls—a first for the industry. Our concept began with a … Read more
Building Instincts
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
Spidey Sensor
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
ARUCO MARKER GUIDED AUTONOMOUS ROVERS
Aim Fiducial Markers Aruco fiducial markers were used for object detection and localization. Fiducial markers are black and white markers that can be detected and identified by computer vision algorithms, making them useful in a variety of applications. Here are some of the benefits of using Aruco fiducial markers: Localization & Mapping Workflow Node Graph … Read more
RTAOD
real-time autonomous object detection The project “RTAOD” in the workshop 2.1 was developed to navigate and localize a robot autonomously through room and create a map of the scanned area. In the meantime it collects data of detected objects and counts the quantity of them. Required tools This project got realized by the Software “ROS … Read more
Scanning to compare clay bricks: Digital vs Real
In this course we learned about the Robotic Operating System (ROS) and the MoveIt motion planning using Python for controlling robots. We also utilized development tools such as Git and Docker for managing the data. We learned about different types of sensors which helped for the robot’s motion visualization and scanning for the purpose of … Read more
Post Tension Wood
Post Tension wood is a project created in different steps. Extracting logs from trees from 12 – 15 diameters, this project scans each piece with the purpose of optimizing the fabrication and reducing the waste. Workflow Set Up & Calibration Production plan
Limitearth Project
The annual construction waste is expected to reach 2.2 billion tons gobally by 2025, to try to solve this kind of problems in this sector we can use the Additive Manufacturing fot the optimization of Fabrication and construction. Key advantages of AM By 2020, the AM sector will grow up to a €13.4 billion industry … Read more
