Manufacturing Minute: Introducing The First Robot Cowboy

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An All-Terrain Herding Robot

Researchers from the Australian Centre for Field Robotics at the University of Sydney have designed an all-terrain robot to help ranchers keep closer track of their herds and perform maintenance.

Dubbed SwagBot, the electric, four-wheeled bot is equipped with a rugged waterproof chassis that can navigate swamps, logs and sudden drops without toppling over.

What makes the robot unique is both its durability and that it can help its human counterparts manage anything from towing equipment to herding animals.

Currently, the cowboy robot is battery-operated and can reach speeds of 9 to 12 miles per hour on smooth terrain.

Although Swagbot currently depends upon humans to operate it, the researchers hope to eventually enhance it with sensors that will allow it to gain more autonomy and perform additional tasks such as monitoring sick animals, weeding or even inspecting fences.

Can you envision a robotic ranch hand herding cattle? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Berok Khoshnevis is a professor of Engineering at the University of Southern California with a bold idea to tackle the world’s housing crisis.

He’s invented Contour Crafting, a method that essentially uses a giant robotic machine to help lay the concrete foundations for new homes. Using 3D printing, this robot can construct a 2,000 square foot house with all utilities (except electrical) in less than 24 hours.

With Contour Crafting, the cost of typical home construction is also dramatically reduced. Aside from the speed at which the bot can complete a home, all of the construction materials needed to build the house are prepared on site. This means the owner won’t have to pay for transportation or labor costs.

For those who might have just lost their house in a natural disaster or others who might never have been able to afford a home otherwise, Khoshnevis’ invention could offer a fast and affordable solution.

Contour Crafting isn’t on the market yet, but Khoshnevis says that he hope to have an entry-level machine on the market in the next couple years.

Do you think this inventor’s answer to the housing crisis could work? Comment below or tweet us @MnetNews.

That’s all the time we have for today, but tune in every Tuesday and Thursday for your next Manufacturing Minute.