If you haven't heard of it, Contour Crafting is an awesome large-scale (i.e. building-sized) rapid-prototyping process being developed by Professor Behrokh Khoshnevis at the University of Southern California. The process uses robotic arms with actuated, interchangeable trowels, to "extrude" concrete, layer by layer, to make walls under computer numeric control. IMHO, this technology will devastate, or at least greatly upset, the construction AND real estate industries.
I worked for in the construction industry for nine days, until I had to retire because of exposure and a subsequent allergic reaction to a certain epoxy-based concrete-sealing chemical (Carboguard 451). Fortunately, the allergic reaction only occured on my forearms to the elbows. Upon reading the Material Safety Data Sheet for the chemical (online, mind you, not openly posted on the job site), I discovered that inhalation of the chemical's fumes can lead to a PERMANENT respiratory allergic reaction. Of course, I was never outfitted with a proper chemical respirator; the respirators provided were particulate-filtering only. Besides my work-related illness, I watched first-hand how utterly and completely inneficient the construction industry is. My boss must have walked across the 1/4-mile-wide construction site roughly six times per day to pick up various items he failed to bring with him the first time when he started a new task. Scheduling and efficient resource management were nonexistent. Huge items were shifted around by crane from space to space as the spots they were previously filling became needed. The wait for a crane to pick up an item could last several hours, and often stopped useful progress completely. Well, enough ranting. Back to the good stuff. :)
Press releases stated that the first automated whole-house construction test would take place in 2005, and would involve the complete construction, plumbing, and electricity-ing of a 2000-sq. ft. home in approximately 24 hours.
Expecting not to hear a reply, I contacted Dr. Khoshnevis, and asked him for both more details on the time of the test, and permission to attend it. He offered me both, and I now plan on attending the test in December, my missionary trainining center report date allowing. This experience has taught me:
- There is no harm in asking; the worst answer is a "no."
- If interested in a current development, contact those doing the developing, and see if you can become more involved.
- When in doubt, err on the side of optimism that important people will respond to you.
Dr. Berok Khoshnevis,
University of Southern California:
Dear Professor Khoshnevis,
Since first reading about your "Contour Crafting" technique several years ago, I have paid very close attention to the developments in your research. I cannot overstate how amazingly efficient and revolutionary I believe this technology will be when fully developed. I read in one of the press releases that a full-scale, 2000-square-foot home is expected to be built within this year. As a soon-to-be freshman and C. Prescott Davis Scholar, majoring in applied mathematics and mechanical engineering at the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University, I am watching your work closely, seeing as it will have a definite impact in my chosen career field in the near future. If you are willing or able to let me know, when will the first full-size attempt occur? Will it be open for viewing by interested students willing to make the trip?
Thanks for the time and consideration,
Chris Haueter
| B. Khoshnevis | Mon, Aug 1, 2005 at 8:33 PM | |
| To: chrishaum | ||
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| chrishaum | Mon, Aug 1, 2005 at 9:56 PM | |
| Reply-To: chrishaum To: "B. Khoshnevis" | ||
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