Andreas Kamolz

A dialogue between a robotic arm and a human maker:
combining robotic precision with human intuition in an experimental casting process.

Industrial robots have not only massively transformed the world of production in recent years, but have also been developed to operate within close proximity to humans. These direct human-robot interactions are not only limited to skilled factory workers but also start to conquer our immediate surroundings.
Within my project, I explored collaborative interactions with an industrial robot and created a dialogue between a robotic arm and a human maker through combining robotic precision with the human ability to intuitively judge a situation and react to the changing dynamics of the moment: In an experimental making process, liquid wax is poured into a mould which is mounted on the robotic arm. The maker is then steering the robot through a repeating set of movements to co-create finely layered, delicate and sometimes even translucent structures as the wax slowly solidifies.
A speculative furniture and tableware collection visualises potential applications for future development.

Thanks to Ioannis Galatos.

Aluminium is one of the most common elements on earth and extensively used in our product world. The mining of ores and smelting of primary aluminium uses vast amounts of energy and resources, but once in the system, its fascinating properties enable infinite recycling which only requires 5% of the initial energy.
However, with ever-increasing global challenges questions should not only be raised about our current systems of producing commodities but equally, emphasise the need to challenge our decisions as individual consumers.

But how much do we actually know about the impact of our everyday actions and consumption?

Interviews about the knowledge and understanding of one`s environmental impact revealed that barely anyone has an idea of it and how to relate to C02 emissions.
Furthermore, almost none of the products available on the shelves provide any kind of information about their carbon footprint or the way of how they are sourced.
A paradigm shift in providing information and the amount we trust a customer to take is urgently needed. This leads to numerous further questions of how transparency might generally affect consumer behaviour and ultimately result in the establishment of transparency as a new value system.

This collaboration between Andrew Scott and Andreas Kamolz is an exploration during lockdown restrictions to recognize the bountiful material landscape that exists all around us and explore alternative ways of production.

There is an almost unlimited supply of valuable material discarded in the streets daily, and with a keen eye and the ability to utilize craft techniques one is able to transform the mundane and overlooked into objects which are both long lasting and showcase the care and the hand of the maker.
Instead of relying on professional workshop spaces, precise machines and globalized resource streams to realize a finished object, we are making the tools and machines ourselves, to then build pieces of furniture and create other objects which speak the unique language of their origin.

Due to the current crises we now see more clearly how fragile global systems are and we believe that it is necessary to investigate alternative ways of production and consumption.
We think that it may point towards a need in the future for us to be more resilient, self sufficient and keen to recognize the enormous potential in what we are surrounded by on a hyper-local level everyday.

This process of utilising discarded materials to both create valued objects, and the tools with which to make them can be generalised through three stages and applied to a wide range of scenarios:

stage 1: wander & observe:
Create awareness for your local neighbourhood through walking consciously and perceive your surroundings with eyes wide open. Recognise and identify the flow of single (abandoned on roadside) and recurring material streams (discarded from shops & businesses).

stage 2: imagine & access:
Think and speculate what to create from the discovered. Get inspiration from traditional craft techniques and how to possibly apply them in your context.
If possible secure access through talking to people or businesses involved to clarify how and when it is best to collect the found materials.

stage 3. process & transform
The making stage requires commitment and improvisational skills. Be creative and build the necessary tools through using every bit you can find which is suitable to do the job. Then use those tools to transform the found materials into valued objects which speak the unique language of their origin.

KI Award 2020 - highly commended.