Robotic Pen Drawing

In this project, I designed a custom pen end effector for our KUKA KR60 robots that allows students to make 3D drawings and art. The linework for these drawings is usually made in Grasshopper and the robot's SRC files are generated using KUKA|PRC.

Robots as a medium for creative expression

I think that drawing with robots is a perfect first project for those getting into the field. Although it doesn't take advantage of a robot's unique capabilities, it is a good way to make such an intimidating process become more accessible.

Rapid prototyping end effectors

I encourage instututions that are thinking of acquiring industrial robotic arms for the purpose of research to have the arm be one component of a larger digital fabrication ecosystem. This project is a great example of why this is important. As you can see in the image above, the drawing end effector is made up of aluminum extrusion, 3D printed plastic, and laser cut wood. I was able to design and build this contraption in only about 30 minutes at the Technology Lab at the UT Austin Architecture school, since we have laser cutting machines and 3D printers accessible to students.