Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google


Carnegie Mellon and Disney Create Robot Design Program for Novices

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 11/30/15

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and Disney Research have come up with an interactive design system that lets "casual users" create 3D-printable robotic creatures. In a paper recently delivered at ACM SIGGRAPH, the team described an approach that automates the "tedious parts of the design process" and keeps the creation stable while still allowing for customization of shape, proportions, gait and motion style. The robot can then be produced using a 3D printer and standard servo motors.

"We aim to reinvent the way in which personal robotic devices are designed, fabricated and customized according to the individual needs and preferences of their users," said Stelian Coros, study co-author and a former Disney scientist who is now an assistant professor of robotics at Carnegie Mellon.

The result, added co-author Markus Gross, a vice president at Disney Research, will be of interest to "technology enthusiasts and the maker community at large."
Researchers from Carnegie Mellon and Disney have described an approach that automates the

The design interface of the application offers two views. In one, the creator can edit the robot's structure and motion, which will result in motors being added or removed; in the second view the creator can see how the changes would alter the robot's behavior.

Once design is complete, the program generates a 3D plan for all body parts, including connectors for the motors, which can then be sent to a 3D printer for fabrication.

However, the researchers pointed out, even though design of the robot will be simpler, it still takes "hours" to print and assemble the parts.

In the future the research team hopes to extend its tools to allow users to specify a "motion repertoire" that includes being able to have the robot switch between gaits, take on a "rich" persona and interact with objects and humans.

The paper, "Interactive Design of 3D Printable Robotic Creatures," is available on the Disney Research site here.

A video demonstrating the basics of the program is available on YouTube.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Double exposure image of coin stacks on technology financial graph background

    The Budget Cut that Changes Everything in K-12

    ESSER funding, the post-COVID lifeline that enabled many districts to invest in data collection and research, is coming to an end. For districts that relied on those dollars to conduct surveys and gather community feedback, the impact is significant.

  • blue wooden cubes block texture abstract background

    Gartner: Worldwide IT Spending Estimated at $6.31T for 2026

    According to a Gartner forecast, worldwide IT spending will total $6.31 trillion in 2026, a 13.5% increase from 2025. Sectors experiencing the largest growth include data center systems, software, and IT services.

  • Wi-Fi icon on dark blue circuit background

    FCC to Conduct 'Top-to-Bottom' Review of E-Rate Program

    The FCC is laying the groundwork for a comprehensive review of its E-Rate program, the federal initiative that provides K–12 schools and public libraries with discounts on internet, WiFi, and telecommunications services to ensure equitable digital access.

  • large cloud icon with abstract code and interconnected polygons

    Report: Enterprise AI Workloads Are Tipping Toward Private Cloud

    Broadcom's 2026 Private Coud Outlook report says enterprise AI is moving from experimentation into production, with private cloud emerging as the preferred deployment environment for AI inference among surveyed organizations.