By TGB Editorial
It looks more like something from a sci fi film than a suburban job site, but according to its creators, a spider like robot called Charlotte could soon be building homes on Australian soil.
Unveiled this week at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney, Charlotte represents a major leap in construction technology. Developed by Crest Robotics and Earthbuilt Technology, the semi autonomous machine combines robotics and 3D printing to fabricate building structures directly from raw materials.
While still in the research and development phase, its creators say the prototype could one day 3D print homes at a speed and scale that dwarfs traditional construction methods.
“Charlotte’s a pretty amazing technology,” said Clyde Webster, Founding Director of Crest Robotics.
“It’s a spider like, bio inspired creation designed to help resolve some of our highest housing crises. It’s essentially a giant 3D printer capable of producing homes out of sustainable materials.”
Printing Homes, Not Just Walls
The team behind Charlotte believes the technology could cut carbon emissions, labour costs, and build times all in one sweep.
According to Dr Jan Golembiewski, Co Founder of Earthbuilt Technology, Charlotte can eliminate many of the carbon intensive processes embedded in traditional materials like bricks and concrete.
“Even a simple brick has so many steps in its production, many of them very carbon heavy,” Golembiewski said.
“Earthbuilt takes all of that process and puts it into one single machine. Raw materials go in, walls come out. It will work at the speed of over 100 bricklayers.”
The promise is bold: homes built faster, cheaper, and more sustainably, at a time when Australia desperately needs them.
Addressing the Housing Crisis with Robotics
Beyond speed and efficiency, the project’s leaders believe robotics is essential to solving Australia’s productivity and labour challenges.
“Robotics is the key to solving the housing crisis,” Dr Webster said.
“Construction productivity has stagnated for decades. We can’t keep throwing people at the problem, we need technology that scales.”
That point resonates across the industry. Dr Neda Mohammadi, researcher in project management and infrastructure at the University of Sydney, says automation could relieve pressure on the existing workforce.
“Labour constraints and delays are two of the biggest challenges,” Dr Mohammadi said.
“If you can offload repetitive, high risk tasks to robotics, smaller teams can achieve a lot more. It’s a force multiplier.”
This aligns with growing interest in modern methods of construction (MMC), including prefabrication, robotics, and additive manufacturing that could redefine how Australia delivers its housing targets.
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 conversation with partners in the space sector, including those linked to NASA’s Artemis missions, which aim to return humans to the Moon by 2027.
“By developing Charlotte for extreme environments like space, we make solving problems here on Earth a lot easier,” Dr Webster explained.
The robot’s flexibility, its ability to straddle and move over structures like a spider, is part of what makes it suitable for building on uneven terrain, both planetary and terrestrial.
Backed by Government Support
Charlotte has received financial backing from the NSW Government through its Space+ program, designed to support technologies with potential crossover between the space and construction sectors.
With growing interest from research partners and industry leaders at the IAC, its developers hope to accelerate commercial testing within the next few years.
“We’re developing a technology that could transform how homes and even cities are built,” Golembiewski said.
“It’s about rethinking construction from the ground up, literally.”
The Good Builder View
The unveiling of Charlotte is more than a glimpse of futuristic machinery. It’s a sign of what’s coming for Australia’s housing industry.
As labour shortages persist and housing demand continues to surge, automation and robotics will become not just optional, but essential tools in delivering affordability and sustainability.
Charlotte might still be a prototype, but its message is clear: the next generation of homebuilding will be faster, smarter, and far less human intensive. And for a nation striving to deliver 1.2 million new homes by 2029, that’s a future worth paying attention to.
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