The Future of Making: Robotics, Recycling, and Redefining Design | Sebastian Voigt | TEDxPotsdam
In an age where mass production dominates, can we find a way to merge the craftsmanship of the past with the technology of the future? Sebastian explores the trinity of manufacturing—man, matter, and machines—and how hybrid manufacturing techniques like robotics, 3D printing, and incremental sheet forming are reshaping the way we produce. By integrating recycled materials and bio-based plastics, he envisions a world where design is sustainable, production is local, and waste is minimized. This talk challenges us to rethink the way we create, consume, and recycle—proving that technology can be a tool for sustainable change rather than destruction. Sebastian Voigt is a product designer who is intensively involved with the combination of design and innovative manufacturing techniques. He graduated in Product Design at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam and obtained a Master in Robotics and Advanced Construction at the Institute of Advanced Architecture Catalonia (IAAC) in Barcelona. Since then, he has specialised in combining new design strategies such as computational design and robot-assisted manufacturing to develop environmentally friendly and economical solutions for one-off and small-batch production.
Voigt is the founder of Design+Robotics, a studio based in the Vulkanfiberfabrik Werder (Havel), which researches and develops the latest technologies in manufacturing and offers them as a service to a wide range of industries. Its work includes innovative manufacturing processes such as hybrid manufacturing and incremental sheet forming, but also the transfer of manual production techniques to an industrial robot in order to support regional craftsmanship and offer an alternative to mass production, as well as the use of recyclable materials and efficient and resource-saving production on demand.
Under the new MATES label, he wants to further emphasise his vision in terms of potential, feasibility and significance and make it accessible to everyone. The vision of creating production possibilities in harmony with man, machine and material that can be realised regionally and on demand beyond the mass industry and create a new freedom of design. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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