The following news was submitted to the CASE Dean’s monthly newsletter for May:

Recently, the Set Technology and General Entertainment (STAGE) Student design team received two KUKA 6 axis, payload carrying robots through a generous gift from KUKA Robotics, North America. S&T Mechanical Engineering alumnus Jack Pennuto, ME’04, is President of KUKA Robotics, North America and serves on both the Miner Athletics and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Academies. Pennuto feels that “Missouri S&T is a perfect fit for KUKA Robotics to provide support for emerging initiatives like entertainment technologies. 

These robots will provide students with experience using the latest film tool technology. KUKA Robotics partners with SISU Cinema Robotics to apply KUKA technology, leveraging their cinema robotics industry expertise and has shared that relationship now with S&T. 

STAGE tackles engineering challenges and projects within the entertainment industry and carries out the process from development to construction and testing to the premier of a theatrical performance. Taylor Gruenloh (assistant professor of theater and film) says, “These robots will help with the development and implementation of the Entertainment Technologies certificate and expand into the development an automation course that would also include theater rigging infrastructure.”

KUKA engineers will work with Gruenloh and the STAGE team to train and provide Safety and learning protocols for these robots. KUKA Robotics provides in-kind support across campus, recently donating four KUKA ready2_educate training cells for use in coursework and research in the newly dedicated KUKA Robotics Laboratory in Toomey Hall.