The auto industry in the US hit a few speed bumps over the past few years, and while many factories have closed, it’s good to see that some workers, like this industrial robot arm, have managed to find work elsewhere. Instead of building sedans, this arm now lathes solid blocks of maple into lovely wooden stools.
The Totoro stool collection was designed on a computer in 3D by Armand Graham and Sasha Ritter, but it requires the skillful hand — or milling tool — of this robot arm to turn a log into these curvaceous pieces. Available in five different sizes, each piece takes the robot arm a while to craft, which explains why the smallest Totoro will set you back $US2,680. Suddenly that unfinished tree trunk looks comfy enough as is. [Timbr via designboom]
Photos via designboom