Dive Brief:

• University of Stuttgart researchers and German companies are experimenting with the idea of using manufacturing robots to fabricate lightweight specialized wood products.
• One of the elements of the project involves the use of three-dimensional engineering to create specifications for robots to follow.
• The school's Institute for Computational Design and Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design were able to create an experimental structure out of light plywood in 2011.

Dive Insight:

The European Union and the German state of Baden-Württemberg are putting €425,000 into the effort. Designers would have an expanded repertoire of elements to use if they can be turned out by robots.