Robots are taking more and more aspects our lives, and jobs. The latest occupation to perhaps feel threatened the march technology is carpentry. For thousands years, skilled carpenters have lovingly created furniture wood. However, the next generation master craftsmen and women may be robots, not humans. Researchers 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 their project was to let robots do the more dangerous tasks of sawing and assembling, so carpenters can focus design.
The MIT team used currently available technology to create what they call the AutoSaw. It differs conventional robots that are currently used to manufacture the mass-produced, flat-pack furniture many us buy from giant home-furnishing stores. People will be able to design their own furniture and AutoSaw will cut the wood great precision and reduced risk us losing a finger. Researcher Adriana Schulz said: "Our aim is to democratize furniture-customization. We're trying to open a realm of opportunities so users aren't bound to what they've bought Ikea. Instead, they can make what best fits their needs." She believes it will empower people to create better-designed furniture.
