Jun 26, 2014 6:30 AM

Gallery: These Cute Little Drones Could 3-D Print a House

Photos by Minibuilders
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A swarm of super cute, 3-D printing robots called "Minibuilders" could replace construction workers in the near future.
Photos by Minibuilders
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Three robots working in conjunction can lay a foundation, build walls, roofs, and even act as a handyman fixing weak spots on demand.

Photos by Minibuilders
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Minibuilders employs a specially formulated, thermosetting build material made from 60% marble powder and 40% Axson Easymax which is cured using a pair of heat guns attached to the robots.
Photos by Minibuilders
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These little laborers are directed by a master unit that also dispenses the concrete mixture through long tubes.

Photos by Minibuilders
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But each robot has some built-in smarts. For instance, the robot that lays the foundation can follow a line drawn on the ground by an architect.
Photos by Minibuilders
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To help advance the state of the are, the creators of Minibuilders have shared some of their findings [in technical journals](http://arxiv.org/abs/1406.3400).

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