Autonomous Manufacturing Lab
AML-PENN   |   University of Pennsylvania
The Autonomous Manufacturing Lab (AML) explores the integration of robotic manufacturing and construction within architectural design. The AML aims to reduce the environmental and economic costs of design and production while enhancing their cultural and aesthetic impact. The lab's integrative methods for generative design and manufacturing are developed as semi-autonomous systems, exploring possibilities for artisanal-like craftsmanship to be scaled to large production volumes. This approach provides greater specificity and enhanced aesthetic character in design responses compared to traditional automated methods, whilst also reducing material use and waste within bespoke design and production processes. The AML's research enhances design and production capabilities across diverse manufacturing methods and materials by developing industrial and mobile robot fabrication techniques, multi-agent systems, AI/machine learning computational approaches, and applications of real-time sensor and computer vision technologies. This multidisciplinary research includes the development of Aerial Additive Manufacturing, recently published in Nature, which demonstrates the world’s first in-flight additive manufacturing by cooperating drones, representing a rapidly deployable form of collective robotic construction.

AML-UCL
Penn’s Autonomous Manufacturing Lab (AML-Penn) is affiliated with AML-UCL, directed by Robert Stuart-Smith and Vijay Pawar in the Department of Computer Science, University College of London. AML-UCL’s research focuses on multi-agent/distributed robotics for building construction and data collection. AML-UCL.CS is currently developing a control framework for Aerial Additive Manufacturing (Aerial ABM) — an EPSRC funded research project developing an autonomous robot swarm system for in-situ 3D-printed construction. The research is being undertaken in collaboration with Imperial College, University of Bath, and Empa.