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Robots to help us make our own furniture

Furniture - Level 4

Robots are taking over. The latest job technology is replacing is carpentry. For thousands of years, skilled carpenters have created furniture. The next generation of master carpenters may be robots. Researchers at MIT have created a robot that can custom-make furniture. The robots will not replace humans, but will improve safety. The goal is to let robots do the more dangerous task of sawing so carpenters can focus on design.

The MIT team used today's technology to create the "AutoSaw". It differs from robots that make the mass-produced, flat-pack furniture we buy from stores. People will design their own furniture and AutoSaw will cut up the wood. It will also reduce the risk of us losing a finger. Researchers aim to "democratize furniture-customization". They want people to make what fits their needs, rather than what IKEA has. This will mean better furniture.

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11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Furniture - Level 5

Robots are taking over more parts of our lives and jobs. The latest job to feel threatened by technology is carpentry. For thousands of years, skilled carpenters have created furniture from wood. However, the next generation of master carpenters may be robots, not humans. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have created a robot that can create custom-made furniture. The robots will not replace humans, but will improve safety. The goal of the project is to let robots do the more dangerous task of sawing so carpenters can focus on design.

The MIT team used today's technology to create the "AutoSaw". It differs from robots that are currently used to make the mass-produced, flat-pack furniture we buy from home-furnishing stores. People will design their own furniture and AutoSaw will cut up the wood with great precision. It will also reduce the risk of us losing a finger. Researchers said: "Our aim is to democratize furniture-customization...to open up a realm of opportunities so users aren't bound to what they've bought at Ikea. Instead, they can make what best fits their needs." This will mean better-designed furniture.

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11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Furniture - Level 6

Robots are taking over more and more aspects of our lives, and jobs. The latest occupation to perhaps feel threatened by the march of technology is carpentry. For thousands of years, skilled carpenters have lovingly created furniture from wood. However, the next generation of master craftsmen and women may be robots, not humans. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have created a robot that can create custom-made wooden furniture. They say the robots will not replace humans, but instead will improve safety. The researchers said the goal of their project was to let robots do the more dangerous tasks of sawing and assembling, so carpenters can focus on design.

The MIT team used currently available technology to create what they call the AutoSaw. It differs from conventional robots that are currently used to manufacture the mass-produced, flat-pack furniture many of us buy from giant home-furnishing stores. People will be able to design their own furniture and AutoSaw will cut up the wood with great precision and reduced risk of us losing a finger. Researcher Adriana Schulz said: "Our aim is to democratize furniture-customization. We're trying to open up a realm of opportunities so users aren't bound to what they've bought at Ikea. Instead, they can make what best fits their needs." She believes it will empower people to create better-designed furniture.

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25 online activities    |    27-page printable    |    2-page mini-lesson