It’s a step in a new direction, a proof of concept. Maybe in the future something similar could be useful for road work or on mars or idk. No innovation & development without experimenting. You have to start somewhere and with stuff that is available.
And even if nothing comes of it, I bet it was a fun project to work on.
Though it is pretty wild they chose a vacuum bot lol.
In engineering school we created a robot that does specific tasks for a contest. It was a lot of work, but that was the main goal. Using an existing device that already has a LIDAR (and probably SLAM) sounds like a very smart move to me, for a project where you want to focus on other problems that have no existing solution yet.
Honestly, If it is ever made to work. A mobile/robotic 3d printer would be a huge step forward. Solving the issue of levelling on more random surfaces, IE all existing surfaces. Plus the Issue of moving heat stability with different plastics. It all sounds doable in an open design way. But hugely complex and in need of this type of nutcase to start it off.
But the advantages it would give to home-maker like design would be freaking huge once things become well understood. Adding already developing multi mateial heads etc.
As I have said elsewhere. Never underestimate the value of someone insane enough to try and make dumb shit work. Almost everything we depend on started from someone thinking the most insane idea would be fun to try.
It’s a step in a new direction, a proof of concept. Maybe in the future something similar could be useful for road work or on mars or idk. No innovation & development without experimenting. You have to start somewhere and with stuff that is available.
And even if nothing comes of it, I bet it was a fun project to work on.
It could lead to a room size print bed, as in i wonder what the largest object it can currently make is.
Would also be neat if it could scan objects in the room as well, a lot more print in place capabilities with an idea like that.
Seems novel, but I agree with you, seems like it could lead to further neat innovation. Though it is pretty wild they chose a vacuum bot lol.
In engineering school we created a robot that does specific tasks for a contest. It was a lot of work, but that was the main goal. Using an existing device that already has a LIDAR (and probably SLAM) sounds like a very smart move to me, for a project where you want to focus on other problems that have no existing solution yet.
Honestly, If it is ever made to work. A mobile/robotic 3d printer would be a huge step forward. Solving the issue of levelling on more random surfaces, IE all existing surfaces. Plus the Issue of moving heat stability with different plastics. It all sounds doable in an open design way. But hugely complex and in need of this type of nutcase to start it off.
But the advantages it would give to home-maker like design would be freaking huge once things become well understood. Adding already developing multi mateial heads etc.
As I have said elsewhere. Never underestimate the value of someone insane enough to try and make dumb shit work. Almost everything we depend on started from someone thinking the most insane idea would be fun to try.