in 2014 I was studying at singularity university’s global solution program a
university’s global solution program a
university’s global solution program a program dedicated to positively
program dedicated to positively
program dedicated to positively impacting the lives of a billion people
impacting the lives of a billion people
impacting the lives of a billion people in a decade our mission was to find out
in a decade our mission was to find out
in a decade our mission was to find out how that’s when I started looking at
how that’s when I started looking at
how that’s when I started looking at poverty and when researching poverty I
poverty and when researching poverty I
poverty and when researching poverty I discovered something amazing I
discovered something amazing I
discovered something amazing I discovered that a key feature of poverty
discovered that a key feature of poverty
discovered that a key feature of poverty is the lack of housing and the solution
is the lack of housing and the solution
is the lack of housing and the solution could be very simple all we have to do
could be very simple all we have to do
could be very simple all we have to do is completely redefine the entire
is completely redefine the entire
is completely redefine the entire housing industry globally from scratch
housing industry globally from scratch
housing industry globally from scratch this might take some time so in the
this might take some time so in the
this might take some time so in the meantime let us at least use technology
meantime let us at least use technology
meantime let us at least use technology to do a better job when I was looking at
to do a better job when I was looking at
to do a better job when I was looking at the link between poverty and the lack of
the link between poverty and the lack of
the link between poverty and the lack of housing I asked three main questions how
housing I asked three main questions how
housing I asked three main questions how many people don’t have a house where do
many people don’t have a house where do
many people don’t have a house where do they live today and why don’t they have
they live today and why don’t they have
they live today and why don’t they have a house the answers are in covered with
a house the answers are in covered with
a house the answers are in covered with a real shocker today they’re already
a real shocker today they’re already
a real shocker today they’re already more than one and a half billion people
more than one and a half billion people
more than one and a half billion people without access to housing that’s roughly
without access to housing that’s roughly
without access to housing that’s roughly twenty three percent of the population
twenty three percent of the population
twenty three percent of the population on earth almost a quarter and more than
on earth almost a quarter and more than
on earth almost a quarter and more than fifty percent of the planet are already
fifty percent of the planet are already
fifty percent of the planet are already living in cities and the demand to live
living in cities and the demand to live
living in cities and the demand to live in cities is growing rapidly wait twenty
in cities is growing rapidly wait twenty
in cities is growing rapidly wait twenty three percent of our planet a quarter
three percent of our planet a quarter
three percent of our planet a quarter where are all these people how come that
where are all these people how come that
where are all these people how come that when I’m walking down the street I don’t
when I’m walking down the street I don’t
when I’m walking down the street I don’t see every fourth or fifth person living
see every fourth or fifth person living
see every fourth or fifth person living on the curb maybe because we used to
on the curb maybe because we used to
on the curb maybe because we used to think that these are the homeless or
think that these are the homeless or
think that these are the homeless or maybe because we think we have it under
maybe because we think we have it under
maybe because we think we have it under control with solutions like shelter but
control with solutions like shelter but
control with solutions like shelter but you see only about a hundred million
you see only about a hundred million
you see only about a hundred million individuals globally of this type of
individuals globally of this type of
individuals globally of this type of homeless and only about 60 million
homeless and only about 60 million
homeless and only about 60 million individuals globally are internally
individuals globally are internally
individuals globally are internally displaced or refugees together these two
displaced or refugees together these two
displaced or refugees together these two amount for about ten percent of the one
amount for about ten percent of the one
amount for about ten percent of the one and a half billion people without access
and a half billion people without access
and a half billion people without access to adequate housing so who and where are
to adequate housing so who and where are
to adequate housing so who and where are the
the
the rest these are many of us the working
rest these are many of us the working
rest these are many of us the working class senior citizens young adults and
class senior citizens young adults and
class senior citizens young adults and professionals we are the other ninety
professionals we are the other ninety
professionals we are the other ninety percent and while we might not be living
percent and while we might not be living
percent and while we might not be living directly on the street but in buildings
directly on the street but in buildings
directly on the street but in buildings in many cases these buildings are
in many cases these buildings are
in many cases these buildings are dilapidated broken or unsafe or living
dilapidated broken or unsafe or living
dilapidated broken or unsafe or living in overcrowded quarters or having to
in overcrowded quarters or having to
in overcrowded quarters or having to commute multiple hours a day to work or
commute multiple hours a day to work or
commute multiple hours a day to work or school or simply paying more than thirty
school or simply paying more than thirty
school or simply paying more than thirty percent of your income on housing I call
percent of your income on housing I call
percent of your income on housing I call this entire group the houseless to be
this entire group the houseless to be
this entire group the houseless to be houseless means lack of access to
houseless means lack of access to
houseless means lack of access to adequate affordable and desirable
adequate affordable and desirable
adequate affordable and desirable housing the houseless are vulnerable
housing the houseless are vulnerable
housing the houseless are vulnerable invisible individuals living in
invisible individuals living in
invisible individuals living in inadequate housing are seven times more
inadequate housing are seven times more
inadequate housing are seven times more likely to drop out of high school
likely to drop out of high school
likely to drop out of high school they’re twice as likely to experience
they’re twice as likely to experience
they’re twice as likely to experience violent crime and are at a much higher
violent crime and are at a much higher
violent crime and are at a much higher risk for both cardiovascular and
risk for both cardiovascular and
risk for both cardiovascular and respiratory conditions among other
respiratory conditions among other
respiratory conditions among other severe health issues so why why are so
severe health issues so why why are so
severe health issues so why why are so many of us houseless this turned out to
many of us houseless this turned out to
many of us houseless this turned out to be a two-sided coin on the one side this
be a two-sided coin on the one side this
be a two-sided coin on the one side this population is clearly not making enough
population is clearly not making enough
population is clearly not making enough money to afford adequate housing but on
money to afford adequate housing but on
money to afford adequate housing but on the other side the way in which we build
the other side the way in which we build
the other side the way in which we build homes today is not affordable for a
homes today is not affordable for a
homes today is not affordable for a quarter of the planet I decided to focus
quarter of the planet I decided to focus
quarter of the planet I decided to focus on a second how to create affordable
on a second how to create affordable
on a second how to create affordable housing where are the market failures
let’s look at a different industry for a
let’s look at a different industry for a second cause a hundred years ago cars
second cause a hundred years ago cars
second cause a hundred years ago cars were made like this today they’re
were made like this today they’re
were made like this today they’re manufactured like this using
manufactured like this using
manufactured like this using sophisticated machines and robots with
sophisticated machines and robots with
sophisticated machines and robots with very little manpower the car has gone
very little manpower the car has gone
very little manpower the car has gone from a rich man’s novelty to a
from a rich man’s novelty to a
from a rich man’s novelty to a mass-produced product available to
mass-produced product available to
mass-produced product available to almost anyone and homes a hundred years
almost anyone and homes a hundred years
almost anyone and homes a hundred years ago homes were built like this
ago homes were built like this
ago homes were built like this and today they’re still built like this
and today they’re still built like this
and today they’re still built like this not much has changed you see when you
not much has changed you see when you
not much has changed you see when you think about it the brick for example the
think about it the brick for example the
think about it the brick for example the brick was created for the human hand to
brick was created for the human hand to
brick was created for the human hand to be easily carried and manipulated the
be easily carried and manipulated the
be easily carried and manipulated the brick was invented 9,000 years ago but
brick was invented 9,000 years ago but
brick was invented 9,000 years ago but it’s still commonly used today and not
it’s still commonly used today and not
it’s still commonly used today and not because it’s the best way to build so
because it’s the best way to build so
because it’s the best way to build so that’s when I started thinking if robots
that’s when I started thinking if robots
that’s when I started thinking if robots are building cars and I know a thing or
are building cars and I know a thing or
are building cars and I know a thing or two about robots I’ve been researching
two about robots I’ve been researching
two about robots I’ve been researching them since I was 15 building little
them since I was 15 building little
them since I was 15 building little firefighting ones and that’s when it
firefighting ones and that’s when it
firefighting ones and that’s when it came together why not let robots build
came together why not let robots build
came together why not let robots build homes it makes sense robots will always
homes it makes sense robots will always
homes it makes sense robots will always outperform humans on tasks that are
outperform humans on tasks that are
outperform humans on tasks that are repetitive and demand high precision and
repetitive and demand high precision and
repetitive and demand high precision and building is exactly this repetitive
building is exactly this repetitive
building is exactly this repetitive tasks that mandate high precision once I
tasks that mandate high precision once I
tasks that mandate high precision once I realized that it makes sense to build
realized that it makes sense to build
realized that it makes sense to build homes with robots my next question was
homes with robots my next question was
homes with robots my next question was which which machines are best suited to
which which machines are best suited to
which which machines are best suited to build homes so I started low looking
build homes so I started low looking
build homes so I started low looking searching for the cutting edge of the
searching for the cutting edge of the
searching for the cutting edge of the building industry I found machines like
building industry I found machines like
building industry I found machines like this and I visited buildings like this
this and I visited buildings like this
this and I visited buildings like this and when searching the fringes for the
and when searching the fringes for the
and when searching the fringes for the most innovative solutions I saw 3d
most innovative solutions I saw 3d
most innovative solutions I saw 3d printers for concrete and bridges and
printers for concrete and bridges and
printers for concrete and bridges and even robots that span more than 500
even robots that span more than 500
even robots that span more than 500 meters across now some of you might be
meters across now some of you might be
meters across now some of you might be thinking that’s fantastic just create a
thinking that’s fantastic just create a
thinking that’s fantastic just create a new machine dedicated to build
new machine dedicated to build
new machine dedicated to build affordable housing not that simple to
affordable housing not that simple to
affordable housing not that simple to design a new machine from scratch costs
design a new machine from scratch costs
design a new machine from scratch costs a lot of money and takes a lot of time
a lot of money and takes a lot of time
a lot of money and takes a lot of time so it seemed that the only way to
so it seemed that the only way to
so it seemed that the only way to introduce robotics into affordable
introduce robotics into affordable
introduce robotics into affordable construction be to utilize existing
construction be to utilize existing
construction be to utilize existing technologies and that’s exactly what
technologies and that’s exactly what
technologies and that’s exactly what we’re doing in our lab we’re designing
we’re doing in our lab we’re designing
we’re doing in our lab we’re designing robots to build homes faster and cheaper
robots to build homes faster and cheaper
robots to build homes faster and cheaper our goal to save at least six
our goal to save at least six
our goal to save at least six percent of the cost of construction
percent of the cost of construction
percent of the cost of construction we’re taking existing machines like
we’re taking existing machines like
we’re taking existing machines like cranes and with the help of sensors and
cranes and with the help of sensors and
cranes and with the help of sensors and artificial intelligence turning these
artificial intelligence turning these
artificial intelligence turning these into robots in the future a construction
into robots in the future a construction
into robots in the future a construction site will look like a ballet of robots
site will look like a ballet of robots
site will look like a ballet of robots bring a structure to life the materials
bring a structure to life the materials
bring a structure to life the materials sustainable design and complexity
sustainable design and complexity
sustainable design and complexity endless even our pipes will self heal so
endless even our pipes will self heal so
endless even our pipes will self heal so we don’t have leaks anymore our
we don’t have leaks anymore our
we don’t have leaks anymore our buildings will generate their own energy
buildings will generate their own energy
buildings will generate their own energy but also most of our water and food but
but also most of our water and food but
but also most of our water and food but you see buildings and construction costs
you see buildings and construction costs
you see buildings and construction costs only part of the problem that’s why last
only part of the problem that’s why last
only part of the problem that’s why last year I joined forces with the XPrize
year I joined forces with the XPrize
year I joined forces with the XPrize foundation a non-profit the through
foundation a non-profit the through
foundation a non-profit the through competitions challenges technology to
competitions challenges technology to
competitions challenges technology to benefit mankind together with my team we
benefit mankind together with my team we
benefit mankind together with my team we set out to design a competition that
set out to design a competition that
set out to design a competition that would result in the solution to the
would result in the solution to the
would result in the solution to the housing crisis we already knew that
housing crisis we already knew that
housing crisis we already knew that construction was only part of the
construction was only part of the
construction was only part of the problem and quickly understood that the
problem and quickly understood that the
problem and quickly understood that the housing crisis is different from country
housing crisis is different from country
housing crisis is different from country to country but also from city to city
to country but also from city to city
to country but also from city to city yet no matter where you live there are
yet no matter where you live there are
yet no matter where you live there are four things that are probably the same
four things that are probably the same
four things that are probably the same regulations are stagnant infrastructure
regulations are stagnant infrastructure
regulations are stagnant infrastructure completely inadequate construction
completely inadequate construction
completely inadequate construction technologies have not evolved and we’re
technologies have not evolved and we’re
technologies have not evolved and we’re still developing with antiquated
still developing with antiquated
still developing with antiquated financial models in short were operating
financial models in short were operating
financial models in short were operating on ignorance so after six months of
on ignorance so after six months of
on ignorance so after six months of dedicated research we came up with the
dedicated research we came up with the
dedicated research we came up with the future of housing roadmap a series of
future of housing roadmap a series of
future of housing roadmap a series of competitions that would inspire
competitions that would inspire
competitions that would inspire municipalities to rethink regulations
municipalities to rethink regulations
municipalities to rethink regulations that define what where and how we build
that define what where and how we build
that define what where and how we build inspire the innovators to create
inspire the innovators to create
inspire the innovators to create self-sufficient infrastructure and even
self-sufficient infrastructure and even
self-sufficient infrastructure and even turning to biology to synthetically grow
turning to biology to synthetically grow
turning to biology to synthetically grow buildings that would actually make us
buildings that would actually make us
buildings that would actually make us healthier we planned a decade worth of
healthier we planned a decade worth of
healthier we planned a decade worth of challenges so that the future of housing
challenges so that the future of housing
challenges so that the future of housing is affordable for and desired by all
is affordable for and desired by all
is affordable for and desired by all you see access to adequate housing is
you see access to adequate housing is
you see access to adequate housing is one of the most fundamental needs in
one of the most fundamental needs in
one of the most fundamental needs in life yet it was only this last August
life yet it was only this last August
life yet it was only this last August that the United Nations declared the
that the United Nations declared the
that the United Nations declared the lived experience illustrates that the
lived experience illustrates that the
lived experience illustrates that the right to life cannot be separated from
right to life cannot be separated from
right to life cannot be separated from the right to a secure place to live
the right to a secure place to live
the right to a secure place to live housing is an enabler to life and since
housing is an enabler to life and since
housing is an enabler to life and since this is one of the greatest challenges
this is one of the greatest challenges
this is one of the greatest challenges that we humanity are already facing it’s
that we humanity are already facing it’s
that we humanity are already facing it’s time for us to rethink old methods to
time for us to rethink old methods to
time for us to rethink old methods to harness our creativity and technologies
harness our creativity and technologies
harness our creativity and technologies to make sure that our children to make
to make sure that our children to make
to make sure that our children to make sure that all children will never find
sure that all children will never find
sure that all children will never find themselves houseless thank you
themselves houseless thank you
themselves houseless thank you [Applause]
”
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