Welcome to the official UT Robotics Lab Wiki! 

What is the UT Robotics Lab:

The UT robotics lab is a place for creative avant-garde exploration and practical realization of digital worlds into our own real one. Here at the UT Robotics lab we foster an environment of curious exploration and offer a wide array of tools and support for UT students to unleash their creative appetites and see their imaginations realized! Using state of the art Kuka Kr60 Robot arms and a DKP400 two-axis positioner the robotics lab is equipped to handle a variety of tasks both immediately or with a simple tool change. 

                                                                                                                                UT Robotics Lab Robots

What We Do

At the UT Robotics Lab, through our continuous research into robotics and design, we have developed various custom tools and workflows using a variety of scripting languages such as Grasshopper, Python, VBA, and others that include:

• Drawing
• Extruding
• Dabbing
• Incremental Metal Forming

The Process is simple! The KUKA's act like sophisticated 6 axis CNC machines where we would program the robot using the KUKA PRC plugin for grasshopper to give it a set of toolpaths to follow. Each task has its own pre-dedicated workspace which allows the KUKA PRC to translate virtual space in RHINO to the real world setup. The versatility of the Robots allows for a simple tool change for the head of the robot that would transform it into a totally different machine. One thing we are very proud of is that we make our own tools through 3D Printing or Steel Milling, which adds an entire level of versatility to what exactly we can use the robots for. This customization pushes us forward to test new setups and apparatus as a part of our continuous research effort that seeks to blur the line between Robots and Design.

 Incremental Metal Forming                                      Heat Gun Forming                                      Pen Drawing

Some of the Tools we have extensively worked with and continue to perfect include: 

• Rod bending
• Heat gun forming
•  Milling
• Gripper functions
  
  How to Reach Us

Students are invited to visit the Robotics Lab to view some of the work we have completed. The Lab is already frequented by instructors and students alive that require robotic solutions for their design problems. We offer training on the use of KUKA robots and CNC machines. To reach us contact the Head of the UT Robotics Lab Ben Rice at his email: ben@utexas.edu to schedule a showing, a job, or training.