The 'Totoro' Stools Use Sustainable Wood and are Sculpted by a Robot
Rahul Kalvapalle — March 20, 2014 — Art & Design
References: timbrny & designboom
Totoro is a collection of wooden stools crafted out of material salvaged from scrap wood from upstate New York, and carved by a robot. The collection is a the result of a collaboration between New York-based designers Armand Graham, whose 'Timbr' project creates custom furniture using sustainably collected wood, and Sadha Ritter.
These curvy stools are made out of silver maple wood logs found in Ithaca, New York. The designers first create a computer-generated design for the furniture, before feeding the information to a huge robot that crafts the furniture into its final form. The robot's massive two-ton arm is able to translate the computer-generated design into a tangible sculptural reality in ways that would be impossible to achieve if sculpting by hand. The robot was previously employed in an automotive factory.
Despite this precise crafting process, each Totoro stool is unique because of the particular stage that the wood is at any given time. The wood has a life of its own, which gives each stool a unique look and feel.
Photo Credits: designboom, timbrny
These curvy stools are made out of silver maple wood logs found in Ithaca, New York. The designers first create a computer-generated design for the furniture, before feeding the information to a huge robot that crafts the furniture into its final form. The robot's massive two-ton arm is able to translate the computer-generated design into a tangible sculptural reality in ways that would be impossible to achieve if sculpting by hand. The robot was previously employed in an automotive factory.
Despite this precise crafting process, each Totoro stool is unique because of the particular stage that the wood is at any given time. The wood has a life of its own, which gives each stool a unique look and feel.
Photo Credits: designboom, timbrny
Trend Themes
1. Sustainable Furniture - The use of sustainable wood and robotic fabrication provides disruptive innovation opportunities in the furniture industry, allowing for the creation of unique and eco-friendly pieces.
2. Robotic Fabrication - Robotic fabrication is a trend that has significant disruptive innovation opportunities, enabling precise and efficient manufacturing processes across a wide range of industries.
3. Custom Furniture - The use of customizable computer-generated designs and robotic fabrication can revolutionize the furniture industry by allowing for unique and personalized pieces for customers.
Industry Implications
1. Furniture - The furniture industry can benefit from disruptive innovation opportunities by embracing sustainable materials and robotic fabrication to create unique and eco-friendly pieces.
2. Manufacturing - The manufacturing industry can improve efficiency and precision, while reducing waste, by adopting robotic fabrication processes like the one used in the creation of the Totoro stools.
3. Woodworking - The woodworking industry can benefit from disruptive innovation opportunities by adopting sustainable practices and new technology like robotic fabrication to create unique and eco-friendly pieces.
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