By TGB Editorial It looks more like a sci-fi movie than a suburban construction site, but according to its inventors, a spider-like robot named Charlotte could soon be building homes on Australian soil. Unveiled at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney this week, Charlotte represents a major advance in construction […]
By TGB Editorial
It looks more like a sci-fi movie than a suburban construction site, but according to its inventors, a spider-like robot named Charlotte could soon be building homes on Australian soil.
Revealed this week in International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney, Charlotte represents a major leap in construction technology. Developed by Crest Robotics And Earthbuilt technologyThe semi-autonomous machine combines robotics and 3D printing to produce building structures directly from raw materials.
Still in the research and development phase, its developers say the prototype could one day 3D print houses at a speed and scale that dwarfs traditional construction methods.
“Charlotte is a pretty amazing technology,” he said Clyde WebsterFounding Director of Crest Robotics.
“It's a spider-like, bio-inspired creation designed to help solve some of our worst housing crises. It's essentially a giant 3D printer that can create homes from sustainable materials.”
Printing houses, not just walls
The team behind Charlotte believes the technology could reduce carbon emissions, labor costs and construction time all at once.
Accordingly Dr. Jan GolembiewskiCharlotte, co-founder of Earthbuilt Technology, can eliminate many of the carbon-intensive processes embedded in traditional materials like brick and concrete.
“Even a simple brick has so many steps in its production, many of which are very carbon intensive,” Golembiewski said.
“Earthbuilt takes the entire process and puts it into a single machine. Raw materials go in, walls come out. It will work at the speed of over 100 bricklayers.”
The promise is bold: homes will be built faster, cheaper and more sustainably, at a time when Australia desperately needs them.
Addressing the housing crisis with robotics
Beyond speed and efficiency, project leaders believe robotics is critical to solving Australia's productivity and workforce challenges.
“Robotics is the key to solving the housing crisis,” said Dr. Webster.
“Construction productivity has been stagnant for decades. We can't keep burdening people with the problem; we need scalable technology.”
This point resonates across the industry. Dr. Neda MohammadiProject management and infrastructure researcher at the University of Sydney says automation could ease pressure on the existing workforce.
“Work restrictions and delays are two of the biggest challenges,” said Dr. Mohammadi.
“If you can shift repetitive, high-risk tasks to robotics, smaller teams can accomplish much more. That's a force multiplier.”
This is in line with growing interest in advanced construction methods (MMC), including prefabrication, robotics and additive manufacturing, which could redefine the way Australia achieves its housing goals.
From the suburbs to the moon
Charlotte's ambitions don't end with suburbia. Its creators believe the same technology could one day build shelters on the moon.
The team is already in discussions with partners in the space sector, including partners related to NASA's Artemis missions, which aim to return humans to the Moon by 2027.
“By developing Charlotte for extreme environments such as space, we make it much easier to solve problems here on Earth,” explained Dr. Webster.
The robot's flexibility and ability to move across structures in a spider-like manner make it suitable for building on uneven terrain, both on the planet and on Earth.
Supported by government support
Charlotte has received funding from the New South Wales Government through its Space+ program, which aims to support technologies with potential overlap between the space and construction sectors.
With growing interest in the IAC from research partners and industry leaders, developers hope to accelerate commercial testing in the next few years.
“We are developing technology that could change the way homes and even cities are built,” Golembiewski said.
“It’s literally about rethinking construction from the ground up.”
The perspective of the good builder
The reveal of Charlotte is more than just a look at futuristic machines. It's a sign of what's to come for the Australian housing industry.
As labor shortages continue and demand for housing continues to rise, automation and robotics will become not just optional, but essential tools for ensuring affordability and sustainability.
Charlotte may still be a prototype, but the message is clear: the next generation of home building will be faster, smarter and far less labor-intensive. And for a country aiming to create 1.2 million new homes by 2029, that's a future worth paying attention to.