X

Photos: The robot sculptor that's yours to command

An installation on show at CeBIT in Hannover lets people use an app to design 3D objects and have them carved by an industrial robot arm.
By Nick Heath, Contributor
robochop-01.jpg
1 of 6 Image: GFT Group

Sliced however you like it

Fancy turning an industrial robot into your own personal sculptor? Well now you can.

The Robochop installation at the 2015 CeBIT event in Hannover, Germany gives web users control of four heavy-duty industrial robotic arms. By the end of the show these internet-connected arms will have carved 2,000 3D objects from polystyrene blocks.

robochop-5.png
2 of 6 Image: GFT Group

Heavy-duty sculpting

A web app allows people to design 3D objects, which will then be hewn from the 40 x 40 x 40cm blocks by the Robochop arms using a hot-wire cutting tool.

robochop-2.jpg
3 of 6 Image: GFT Group

Remote carving

The app, available via the robochop website, is designed to allow users to simply carve new objects.

robochop.jpg
4 of 6 Image: GFT Group

Shaping up nicely

Finished objects like the one seen here will be mailed to the designer free of charge - starting from the middle of this month.

robochop-6.jpg
5 of 6 Image: GFT Group

Armed for success

Organisers expect Robochop arms will be used to craft stools, tables and abstract objects - as seen here.

robochop-3.png
6 of 6 Image: GFT Group

Hot off the wire

Robochop is on show in Hall 16 at CeBIT. A demonstration of how the system works and more information is available at www.robochop.com.

The installation is being staged by the GFT Group as part of its Code_n competition.

Related Galleries

Holiday wallpaper for your phone: Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, and winter scenes
Holiday lights in Central Park background

Related Galleries

Holiday wallpaper for your phone: Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, and winter scenes

21 Photos
Winter backgrounds for your next virtual meeting
Wooden lodge in pine forest with heavy snow reflection on Lake O'hara at Yoho national park

Related Galleries

Winter backgrounds for your next virtual meeting

21 Photos
Holiday backgrounds for Zoom: Christmas cheer, New Year's Eve, Hanukkah and winter scenes
3D Rendering Christmas interior

Related Galleries

Holiday backgrounds for Zoom: Christmas cheer, New Year's Eve, Hanukkah and winter scenes

21 Photos
Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6: Electric vehicle extravaganza
img-8825

Related Galleries

Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6: Electric vehicle extravaganza

26 Photos
A weekend with Google's Chrome OS Flex
img-9792-2

Related Galleries

A weekend with Google's Chrome OS Flex

22 Photos
Cybersecurity flaws, customer experiences, smartphone losses, and more: ZDNet's research roundup
shutterstock-1024665187.jpg

Related Galleries

Cybersecurity flaws, customer experiences, smartphone losses, and more: ZDNet's research roundup

8 Photos
Inside a fake $20 '16TB external M.2 SSD'
Full of promises!

Related Galleries

Inside a fake $20 '16TB external M.2 SSD'

8 Photos