Machine Mosaic

Machine Mosaic explores the application of humanoid robotics in bricklaying and mosaic creation, investigating the capabilities, limitations, and potential future developments of robotic automation in traditionally labour-intensive building tasks. By utilising a humanoid robot, the installation explores the interface of robotic dexterity and human craftsmanship in complex, structured assembly operations.
A virtual simulation environment will be used to test different construction patterns before implementation in a physical setting. Simulation in robotics allows for the optimisation of movement sequences and the minimisation of errors. Bridging the gap between the simulation and the physical world is an advanced computer vision system, which allows the robot to sense the environment around it and translate the visual feedback into its internal representation of the context and components of the objective.
By performing a simple construction task within the exhibition, the humanoid robot becomes both a performer and a subject of study. Visitors will witness the meticulous execution of each movement, raising questions about the role of technology in craftsmanship as the robot repeatedly assembles and dismantles its project.
In many ways, the architectural design process is already a “cyborg” one, involving the combination of human ideas with artificially generated visualisations or references harvested from the internet,carried forward through acombinationof sketching or model-making by hand and precise drawing using dedicated software. An expression of this human-technology collaboration in physical space inspires us to contemplate the extension of embodied machine labour into other phases of the building process..