RoMA: Robotic 3D Printing and Augmented Reality.
We often see robotics and 3D printing combined, as well as 3D printing and augmented reality (AR). Cornell University researcher Huaishu Peng, whose 3D printing work has made headlines multiple times, has been working on a project that combines robotics, 3D printing combined, augmented reality. We see a wide variety of really interesting and innovative research and projects in this field, but the Robotic Modeling Assistant (RoMA) created by Peng and his team is one of the coolest I’ve come across.
Peng wrote, “I envision that in the future (1) people will design both the form and the function of everyday objects and (2) a personal fabrication machine will construct not only the 3D appearance, but also the interactivity of its prints.“
Talk about interactive – the RoMA is a fabrication system that gives users a hands-on, in-situ 3D modeling experience, using a robotic arm 3D printer and an AR CAD editor.
Peng, together with fellow Cornell researchers Jimmy Briggs, Cheng-Yao Wang, and Kevin Guo; Joseph Kider with the University of Central Florida; Stefanie Mueller with MIT CSAIL; Patrick Baudisch from the Hasso-Plattner Institute; and Cornell’s François Guimbretière, wrote a paper on the RoMA.
“We present the Robotic Modeling Assistant (RoMA), an interactive fabrication system providing a fast, precise, hands-on and in-situ modeling experience. As a designer creates a new model using RoMA AR CAD editor, features are constructed concurrently by a 3D printing robotic arm sharing the same design volume. The partially printed physical model then serves as a tangible reference for the designer as she adds new elements to her design. RoMA’s proxemics-inspired handshake mechanism between the designer and the 3D printing robotic arm allows the designer to quickly interrupt printing to access a printed area or to indicate that the robot can take full control of the model to finish printing. RoMA lets users integrate real-world constraints into a design rapidly, allowing them to create well-proportioned tangible artifacts or to extend existing objects. We conclude by presenting the strengths and limitations of our current design.”
It might be interesting for you – Robots 3D models
Want to build a stand for your model jet, a garage for your LEGO vehicle, or a teapot with a finger hole perfectly designed to fit your finger? RoMA can get the job done. It’s almost like a 3D printing pen, but on a much larger scale, with AR technology and a robotic arm controlling the 3D printing process.
RoMA users are able to, according to the project page, “integrate real-world constraints into a design rapidly, allowing them to create well-proportioned tangible artifacts,” and even extend an object through in-situ fabrication.
The system includes a ceiling-mounted Adept S850 6DOF robotic arm 3D printer, a rotating platform, and an AR headset with cutter and indicator controllers. In terms of software, RoMA has:
- End-to-end pipeline which integrates AR and robot control
- Custom AR CAD editor
- Proxemics-inspired handshake mechanism, which supports human-robot interaction
The custom AR modeling tool emphasizes interactive design, similar to SketchUp, and is deeply integrated with Rhino CAD modeling software.
To begin the process, the designer needs to stay close to the rotating build platform, which is kept immobile by the 3D printing system. The system then 3D prints the part of the model that’s located in the back half of the platform.
To bring the model forward, all the designer has to do is touch the platform’s handle and rotate it.
The robot arm will automatically park away from the user, until the designer steps away. Then, the robotic fabricator is free to “take the full control of the platform” and complete the build.