Comments on: Flying robots build structure http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Thu, 20 Jun 2013 11:02:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Ryan McGowan http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html#comment-1291244 Ryan McGowan Fri, 09 Dec 2011 04:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132860#comment-1291244 All these comments about cranes being more efficient, I think they are forgetting the limitations of a crane. A crane only works then access is available above. You can't deliver a component to the middle of a floor that has already been built on top of.  Also, srchitects have to design buildings according to how they can be built with cranes, to the point that they even have plans for the crane's location itself, and how it will deliver components. A robotic helicopter also has the advantage of being able to work in multiple at the same location. You can't really have two cranes delivering components at close locations. As well, the helicopters don't need to be stored on the job site, eliminating the room it takes up and the hazards it brings. All these comments about cranes being more efficient, I think they are forgetting the limitations of a crane. A crane only works then access is available above. You can’t deliver a component to the middle of a floor that has already been built on top of.  Also, srchitects have to design buildings according to how they can be built with cranes, to the point that they even have plans for the crane’s location itself, and how it will deliver components. A robotic helicopter also has the advantage of being able to work in multiple at the same location. You can’t really have two cranes delivering components at close locations. As well, the helicopters don’t need to be stored on the job site, eliminating the room it takes up and the hazards it brings.

]]> By: LightningRose http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html#comment-1288316 LightningRose Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:01:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132860#comment-1288316 Sheeeeit! This is not news. How do you think the Egyptian pyramids were built? Sheeeeit! This is not news. How do you think the Egyptian pyramids were built?

]]> By: Lobo7922 http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html#comment-1288284 Lobo7922 Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132860#comment-1288284 I inmediately think "this is like Total Annihilation" O_O I inmediately think “this is like Total Annihilation” O_O

]]> By: beau comeaux http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html#comment-1288276 beau comeaux Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:39:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132860#comment-1288276 i, for one, welcome our new labor union robot overlords i, for one, welcome our new labor union robot overlords

]]> By: robuluz http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html#comment-1288156 robuluz Tue, 06 Dec 2011 05:22:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132860#comment-1288156 That is TOTALLY FUCKING AWESOME. That is TOTALLY FUCKING AWESOME.

]]> By: hungryjoe http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html#comment-1288125 hungryjoe Tue, 06 Dec 2011 04:00:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132860#comment-1288125 Does this solve a problem?  We already have great big cranes, and I suspect that they operate more efficiently than one of these quad-rotor situations would.   It's pretty neat, though. Does this solve a problem?  We already have great big cranes, and I suspect that they operate more efficiently than one of these quad-rotor situations would.  

It’s pretty neat, though.

]]> By: rrh http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html#comment-1287838 rrh Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132860#comment-1287838 But how do they work? But how do they work?

]]> By: Daniel Friesen http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html#comment-1287835 Daniel Friesen Mon, 05 Dec 2011 22:04:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132860#comment-1287835 - Gps - sensors to triangulate the distance between each of the other helicopters - sensors to check the distance between helicopters and fixed points on the ground - Gps
- sensors to triangulate the distance between each of the other helicopters
- sensors to check the distance between helicopters and fixed points on the ground

]]> By: soodonim http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html#comment-1287779 soodonim Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132860#comment-1287779 Magnets. Magnets.

]]> By: pjk http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html#comment-1287657 pjk Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132860#comment-1287657 I've still got my money on some sort of robotic anty crawly builder bots. I just can't imagine hovering one million tons worth of  concrete and steel will ever be energy efficient. I’ve still got my money on some sort of robotic anty crawly builder bots. I just can’t imagine hovering one million tons worth of  concrete and steel will ever be energy efficient.

]]> By: rrh http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html#comment-1287649 rrh Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:14:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132860#comment-1287649  But then how do you track where *those* helicopters are, huh smart guy?  But then how do you track where *those* helicopters are, huh smart guy?

]]> By: anansi133 http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html#comment-1287618 anansi133 Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:53:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132860#comment-1287618 How is this cooler than a robotic building crane? Let the copters help erect the crane, and then let the crane do the lifting. Steel cable and beam is a lot better than air rotors to bring a building up. How is this cooler than a robotic building crane? Let the copters help erect the crane, and then let the crane do the lifting. Steel cable and beam is a lot better than air rotors to bring a building up.

]]> By: bcsizemo http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html#comment-1287604 bcsizemo Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:41:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132860#comment-1287604 Kind of along the lines of what soodonim said, it wouldn't be hard to overcome the "indoor" aspect of it. It'd be pretty sweet to see this all packaged into a tractor trailer, add in a compressed earth block machine and a couple of the flying units/their associated hardware and you'd be able to construct a building while just providing the raw materials. I guess depending on how environmentally friendly you want to be, this isn't really the best idea.  I mean the fuel usage for flying +40lb blocks would be much higher than having loaders and people laying them.  But in terms of efficiency and time this would rock pretty hard. Kind of along the lines of what soodonim said, it wouldn’t be hard to overcome the “indoor” aspect of it.

It’d be pretty sweet to see this all packaged into a tractor trailer, add in a compressed earth block machine and a couple of the flying units/their associated hardware and you’d be able to construct a building while just providing the raw materials.

I guess depending on how environmentally friendly you want to be, this isn’t really the best idea.  I mean the fuel usage for flying +40lb blocks would be much higher than having loaders and people laying them.  But in terms of efficiency and time this would rock pretty hard.

]]> By: Noctilucent Studios http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html#comment-1287539 Noctilucent Studios Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:01:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132860#comment-1287539 This will not end well..... This will not end well…..

]]> By: soodonim http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html#comment-1287537 soodonim Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:00:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132860#comment-1287537 It can scale if they make the motion-capture system a couple of helicopters flying above the site watching everything, instead of ceiling mounted. If they made the blocks have internal , interlinking conduits, the finished structure could be pumped full of concrete from a single point at the bottom (by a robot, of course), and the styrofoam blocks would weather away to reveal a permanant skeletal structure. Or, I'd like to see them just lathe that structure as-is, and it would be fairly durable. It can scale if they make the motion-capture system a couple of helicopters flying above the site watching everything, instead of ceiling mounted.

If they made the blocks have internal , interlinking conduits, the finished structure could be pumped full of concrete from a single point at the bottom (by a robot, of course), and the styrofoam blocks would weather away to reveal a permanant skeletal structure.

Or, I’d like to see them just lathe that structure as-is, and it would be fairly durable.

]]> By: rigs http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html#comment-1287514 rigs Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:50:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132860#comment-1287514 any idea what kind of quadcopters they're using? any idea what kind of quadcopters they’re using?

]]> By: pKp http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html#comment-1287479 pKp Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132860#comment-1287479 ": The ceiling of the room where the assembly is taking place was equipped with a motion-capture system. " So it can't scale yet, then. Still fascinating (and French, yay). “: The ceiling of the room where the assembly is taking place was equipped with a motion-capture system. ”
So it can’t scale yet, then. Still fascinating (and French, yay).

]]> By: Jack Holmes http://boingboing.net/2011/12/05/flying-robots-build-structure.html#comment-1287422 Jack Holmes Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=132860#comment-1287422 All my RTS dreams are coming true! All my RTS dreams are coming true!

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