Galatéa is a robotic arm that can design fully-customiszable furniture on demand.
When you think of piecing together your own furniture, IKEA is surely the first brand that comes to mind. However, instead of having to assemble it all by hand, wouldn’t it be much easier to allow a machine to take care of it for you? That’s the idea behind a recent Kickstarter project from Paris-based startup Drawn, led by entrepreneur Sylvain Charpiot.
Once an industrial robot that dismantled auto parts, Galatéa has been converted into large-scale 3D printer that is capable of making fully-recyclable furniture, like chairs, in a matter of two hours. Like other 3D printers on the market today, the machine heats plastic up to 440° F and extrudes the material layer by layer to create any shape and size. Right now, the objects can reach four feet tall and six-and-a-half feet wide.
Everyday people aren’t necessarily the target audience for Galatéa, but more so interior designers who can now deliver customizable furniture to customers right before their eyes. This should please those who are seeking a very specific item for their house yet can’t seem to find the perfect piece. With this robotic arm, a user can simply decide which kind of decor they would like, including the color, dimensions, shape and materials, and let the device take care of the rest.
Looking ahead, the Drawn team is hoping to develop newer and sustainable materials such as wood, miscanthus and linen that will give the printed products a unique and much more natural feel. Intrigued? Head over to its official Kickstarter page, where the team has already surpassed its initial goal of $17,029.
