Drones to Assist in Building Emergency Mud Shelters
It comes as no surprise that many engineering and manufacturing companies are taking advantage of robotics. Possibly one of the largest professional fields to begin taking advantage of advanced robotic technology lately would be that of architecture. Architects all over the world are now utilizing robotics in their projects on a regular basis. Some examples of these projects include the use of multi-axis arms to autonomously build timber frames and 3D printers being used to build army barracks. One of the latest additions to robotics in architecture is the use of a drone that can be used to build mud shelters.
Appropriately named the Mud Shell, these drones can help build mud shelters which can be used during emergencies. The architect behind the project, Stephanie Chaltiel, recently presented the Mud Shell drones during the London Design Week. Her presentation involved showing the drones at work, building an actual mud shelter. The project is still experimental, but with the prototype having been proven successful, the applications can be quite groundbreaking.
Although Chaltiel is the brains behind the project, she enlisted the help of a team to help make her presentation a success. She together with a dedicated team of students worked together on the prototype that was presented at the London Design Week. First, the team manually built a lightweight, dome-shaped timber frame. They then covered it with burlap sacks filled with sand. By dangling off the timber frame like shingles, these sacks act as the framework, or the canvas onto which the drone sets the mud.
Once the frame was completed, multiple mud drones were then deployed. Although one or two drones can be used, several drones are required to finish the job quickly. The drones are programmed to spray wet mud onto the structure until it is entirely covered. Once the mud dries, the resulting earthen structure can be used as a shelter. In many ways, this technique is a modification of the ancient wattle and daub construction method that has served many civilizations.
According to Chaltiel, the resulting shelter is structurally sound. The timber frame, burlap sack and sandbag layer, along with the dried mud all work together to ensure a resilient structure that can be used safely without crumbing or caving in. Her hope is that one day her technique and her drones will be used by disaster response organizations to build emergency shelters.
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