ABOUT THIS EPISODE
In this episode of @AuManufacturing Conversations, our guests are Dr Jan Golembiewski, CEO and co-founder of Earthbuilt Technology, and Dr Clyde Webster, Founding Director of Crest Robotics. They share the origins and goals of their Charlotte project -- showcased at last month’s International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2025 conference in Sydney -- and discuss the opportunity presented by construction robotics.
Episode guide
0:34 – An introduction to our guests.
2:40 – What both companies do on a day to day basis, and how Charlotte relates to that.
4:10 – Both in “hard tech” startups for a similar amount of time.
5:15 – Enhancing and supplementing blue-collar workers, “taking the danger out of the job, not the person.” For example on the moon.
6:20 – What the hexapod robot Charlotte is and what it does. A robot, extruder and “very sophisticated fill delivery system that transfers over material at… really highly productive rates.”
7:25 – Sourcing material for building.
9:40 – Why was it a hit with news coverage?
11:30 – Robotic construction is “a huge market opportunity” and they hope to work with other such companies.
13:03 – Why their approach is “fundamentally different” to other companies such as FBR and Luyten. These are companies that are also showing “that this sort of work can be done here and should be done here.”
14:15 – Some reasons why the moon is so extremely difficult to build on.
15:20 – Charlotte is several technologies coming together. They still need to be properly integrated and tested.
15:56 – Other projects Crest Robotics is involved in, including the Gorilla Mark 1 Robotic Puller and the Emu, for repetitive overhead work.
17:15 – More on the EarthBuilt printer and how it can be used.
17:55 – The valley of death and what makes it so difficult.
18:30 – Manufacturers are invited to get in touch with Crest, which is seeking more local suppliers.
Further reading
Self-belief, cementitious 3D printing, and sensors
FBR to build three new Hadrian-X robots
Melbourne Polytechnic to get new Modern Methods of Construction hub in 2029
Luyten sells giant 3D printer to construction startup
Graphene oxide creates stronger 3D printed concrete, but less seems to be more
